Duck meat is less utilized than other meats in processed products because of limitations of its functional properties, including lower water holding capacity, emulsion stability, and higher cooking loss compared with chicken meat. These limitations could be improved using surimi technology, which consists of washing and concentrating myofibrillar protein. In this study, surimi-like materials were made from duck meat using two or three washings with different solutions (tap water, sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and sodium phosphate buffer). Better improvement of the meat's functional properties was obtained with three washings versus two washings. Washing with tap water achieved the highest gel strength; moderate elevation of water holding capacity, pH, lightness, and whiteness; and left a small amount of fat. Washing with sodium bicarbonate solution generated the highest water holding capacity and pH and high lightness and whiteness values, but it resulted in the lowest gel strength. Processing duck meat into surimi-like material improves its functional properties, thereby making it possible to use duck meat in processed products.

Oat bran protein flour (OBPF), containing protein, starch, and lipid as major constituents, was ball milled and subsequently evaluated on structural conformation, thermal properties, particle size distributions, and rheological properties. Prior to ball milling, characterisation of OBPF were conducted by means of Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showing the existence of aggregated protein and starch-lipid complexes as predominant constituents of OBPF. Ball milling altered structural conformations of both protein and starch. Moreover, increase of ball milling time gradually decreased the transition enthalpy changes of amylose-lipid complexes upon heating which can be related to disruption of amylose-lipid complexes helical structure. Ball milling at higher speed resulted to smaller average particle size distributions of OBPF. Dynamic mechanical spectra of concentrated dispersions containing ball milled OBPF exhibited lower storage (G') and loss (G") moduli compared to control sample due to reduced particles volume packing. Moduli-frequency sweep data satisfactory fitted the Power Law's model.

Burgers were prepared using duck surimi-like material (DSLM) with polydextrose added (SL) and DSLM with sucrose-sorbitol added (SS), and the properties of these burgers were compared with those of burgers made of chicken meat (CB) and duck meat (DB). Quality characteristics such as chemical composition, cooking loss, diameter shrinkage, color, and texture were measured. The DB had a lower moisture content (55.58%) and higher fat content (21.44%) and cooking loss (11.01%) compared with other samples, whereas CB, SS, and SL did not differ significantly in moisture (65.21-66.10%) and fat (10.42-11.16%) content or cooking loss (5.32-6.15%). The SS and SL were positioned below CB and above DB in terms of hardness, chewiness, and springiness. Ten trained panelists assessed the burgers using quantitative descriptive analysis. Among the burgers, CB had the greatest brightness of color, hardness, springiness, and chewiness. The SS had greater sweetness than the other burgers. Both SL and SS had significantly less animalic odor, meaty flavor, oiliness, juiciness, and saltiness compared with DB. The physicochemical and sensory characteristics of burgers prepared from DSLM approached those of burgers made of chicken.

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