Effect of thermal treatment and secondary bonds on the storage stability of ready-to-eat sea cucumbers

Ready-to-eat sea cucumbers (RSC) are highly sensitive to quality deterioration during storage at room temperature. The study investigated the anti-deterioration effects of high-pressure steam sterilization (HPSS) and high-temperature boiling (HTB) on RSC, as well as the impact of secondary bonds on HTB-treated RSC. The results indicated that there were no significant changes in the secondary structure following thermal treatment. Compared to day 0, the maximum thermal denaturation temperature of collagen in the control (CT) group decreased by 24.49degree celsius, while decreases in the HPSS and HTB groups were 8.53degree celsius and 9.8degree celsius, respectively. This confirmed that the stabilization of RSC could be enhanced through HPSS and HTB treatment during storage. When hydrogen bonds are destroyed, the texture properties of HTB-treated RSC significantly decrease, with hardness values dropping to 3.65 +/- 0.514 N and 2.41 +/- 0.615 N, springiness to 7.52 +/- 1.342 mm and 7.69 +/- 0.066 mm, and chewiness to 19.7 +/- 1.211 mj and 16.6 +/- 1.837 mj, respectively. Furthermore, the degradation of collagen fibers due to the breaking of hydrogen bonds prior to storage was more pronounced. These findings indicate that hydrogen bonds play a crucial role in maintaining the storage stability of RSC. These results offer a theoretical foundation and technical assistance for the processing and storage of RSC.