Meat-water binding

Tetrasodium pyrophosphate is used as a pH buffer (a substance that maintains a particular acidity level), and as a dough conditioner in soy-based meat alternatives. It promotes binding of proteins to water, binding the soy particles together, and is used for the same purpose in chicken nuggets and imitation crab and lobster products. 

Use of soy protein products in brine injected or absorbed whole muscle meat products such as beef, poultry, and seafood is reviewed. The importance of functionality on brine performance and within muscle tissue is stressed. Major considerations are selection of the proper soy protein, accompanying functionalities such as water-binding, gelling and viscosity, the specific meat system and requirements pertaining to nutrition, processing and marketing. 

Water binding H-bonding, Meat sausages, Muscle proteins,... 

Inulin can be used to replace a significant portion of the fat in certain meats (Archer et al., 2004) and traditional squeezable and spreadable food products. As the fat is reduced, the amount of water increases to the detriment of the product s structure. The water binding capacity and melting and rheological properties of inulin in such products, however, allow reducing the fat content from around 80% to 20-40% (Silva, 1996). 

Hellendoom, E.W. 1962. Water binding capacity of meat as affected by phosphates. Food Technol. 16 119-124. 

Zinc is the second most important of the essential trace elements for humans. It is a constituent of some enzymes, such as carbonic anhydrase. Zinc is sufficiently abundant that deficiencies of zinc are unknown. The highest levels of zinc are found in shellfish, which may contain 400 ppm. The level of zinc in cereal grains is 30 to 40 ppm. When acid foods such as fruit juices are stored in galvanized containers, sufficient zinc may be dissolved to cause zinc poisoning. The zinc in meat is tightly bound to the myofibrils and has been speculated to influence meat s water-binding capacity (Hamm 1972). 

Manufactured meat and fish Water binding, foaming, emulsifying... 

Thus we have seen that endogenous and exogenous enzymes can markedly affect such physical properties of meat proteins as toughness or tenderness, emulsification properties, cohesion, and water binding capacity. 

Reformed meat Emulsification, water binding, emulsifying Salt solubility, low viscosity in solution, gelation, fat mimetic... 

Effect Emulsifier, water binding, improves consistency, releases meat proteins for gel... 

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