Enhancement of <i>in vitro</i> digestive properties of silver carp ( <i>Hypophthalmichthys olivaceus</i>) surimi gels by oxidized dihydromyricetin

Improving the digestibility of surimi products is key to boosting both their nutritional value and functional benefits. This study investigated how oxidized dihydromyricetin (oDMY) influences the digestion of silver carp surimi. Surimi gels were treated with four different concentrations of oDMY (0.15‰, 0.30‰, 0.45‰, and 0.60‰, <i>m</i>/<i>m</i>), and an <i>in vitro</i> digestion model was employed to analyze the resulting digestive fluids. Results demonstrated that the addition of 0.45‰ oDMY significantly enhanced the <i>in vitro</i> digestion of silver carp surimi. Key mechanisms for this enhancement include oDMY’s modulation on ionic and hydrogen bonding interactions within the protein network, which stabilizes the structure and facilitates protein breakdown during digestion. Additionally, 0.45‰ oDMY decreased the particle size of the digestion products, increasing trypsin accessibility and enhancing digestion efficiency. Furthermore, oDMY promoted the degradation of myosin heavy chain (MHC) during the intestinal digestion phase, leading to the release of more low-molecular-weight peptides. Specifically, 0.45‰ oDMY promoted the breakdown of the MHC, resulting in an elevated release of bioactive peptides. These findings indicate that oDMY could enhance protein digestion and boost the nutritional quality of surimi products.