Yield and Technological Quality of Pirarucu Trimming Surimi According to the Number of Washing Cycles, Rice Flour Content, and Cooking Temperature

This research aimed to optimize surimi production with innovative raw materials called pirarucu trimmings and broken rice grains, which are by-products from food industries. The effects of three independent variables (number of washing cycles, content, and cooking temperature of rice flour—RF) on surimi’s physical, chemical, and technological qualities were investigated through a Box–Behnken design. The number of washing cycles affected yield (77–93%), moisture (55–67%), lipids (18–35%), protein (7.15–11.88%), whiteness (46.73–64.45), chroma (8.86–13.18), hue angle (80.79–93.12°), cohesiveness (0.40–0.61), springiness (0.51–0.99), and freeze stability after 4 weeks (85.16–96.53%). RF concentration affected moisture, lipids, cohesiveness, springiness, and freeze–thaw stability after 4 weeks. RF cooking temperature affected moisture, chroma, cohesiveness, and springiness. The optimal conditions for surimi production with high yield and overall quality were three washing cycles, 6% of RF, and RF cooking temperature at 85 °C. It reveals the promising potential of both by-products to be used as an ingredient in restructured products and contribute to improving agri-industry sustainability.