Optimum hexametaphosphate concentration to inhibit efflorescence formation in dry fermented sausages

Study on the Structure, Function, and Interface Characteristics of Soybean Protein Isolate by Industrial Phosphorylation

The impacts of industrial phosphorylation on the structural changes, microstructure, functional, and rheological features of soybean protein isolate (SPI) were spotlighted. The findings implied that the spatial structure and functional features of the SPI changed significantly after treatment with the two phosphates. Sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) promoted aggregation of SPI with a larger particle size; sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) modified SPI with smaller particle size. SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) results showed insignificant alterations in the structure of SPI subunits. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and endogenous fluorescence noted a decline in α-helix quantity, an amplification in β-fold quantity, and an increase in protein stretching and disorder, indicating that phosphorylation treatment fluctuated the spatial structure of the SPI. Functional characterization studies showed that the solubility and emulsion properties of the SPI increased to varying degrees after phosphorylation, with a maximum solubility of 94.64% for SHMP-SPI and 97.09% for STP-SPI. Emulsifying activity index (EAI) and emulsifying steadiness index (ESI) results for STP-SPI were better than those for SHMP-SPI. Rheological results showed that the modulus of G' and G″ increased and the emulsion exhibited significant elastic behavior. This affords a theoretical core for expanding the industrial production applications of soybean isolates in the food and various industries.

Influence of phosphate chelators on white efflorescence formation in dry fermented sausages with co-extruded alginate casings

The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of different condensed phosphates on the white efflorescence formation on dry fermented sausages with calcium alginate casings. The efflorescence formation is induced by the complexation of the divalent cations magnesium and calcium with lactate on the surface of the product. Phosphates are known to complex divalent cations like magnesium and calcium, which are responsible for the efflorescence formation with lactate. To treat the surface of the raw fermented sausages a mixture of di- and polyphosphates and a polyphosphate were used. The sausages were dipped in 5% solutions of the phosphates. The mixture of di- and polyphosphate showed the best results in reducing the white efflorescence formation, the amount of efflorescences on the surface was 18.12% after 8 weeks of storage. The diffusion of magnesium was significantly reduced by ~40% after 8 weeks of storage compared to the control for both phosphates. However, the crystals formed during storage had a different structure and size compared to the control. Isothermal titration calorimetry measurements showed that the divalent calcium ions and the polyphosphates from aggregates caused the crystal formation on the surface, whereas this effect was not seen in combination with magnesium. The surface treatment with the phosphates did not inhibit the white efflorescence formation. However, the extent was reduced but different kind of crystals were formed on the surface during the storage.

Effects of combined measures to minimize white efflorescence formation on dry fermented sausages co-extruded with alginate casings

On dry fermented sausages, especially co-extruded with calcium alginate casings, the formation of white crystals on the surface of the product is a common problem. In this study a hurdle system of combinations of different metal complexing chelators (citric acid and polyphosphate) was investigated. The control and the sample produced with 1.1% citric acid in the alginate gel showed strong white efflorescence formation during the storage (∼60% of the surface was covered), whereas the samples with added 0.3% polyphosphate showed no efflorescence formation. The efflorescence-causing substances such as lactate, magnesium, and calcium increased significantly in the samples, which showed the strongest white efflorescence formation. In the control, lactate increased by 45.0%, calcium by 23.9%, and magnesium by 150.8%, whereas in the samples without white efflorescence, the magnesium and lactate content increased only slightly, and the calcium content even decreased during the storage of 8 weeks. The best results were observed on the addition of 0.3% polyphosphates and the citric acid surface treatment directly after the co-extrusion. Moreover, the strong complex formation could be due to the complexation of magnesium and calcium by lactate, whereby they are removed from the diffusion equilibrium leading to an increased diffusion of the efflorescence-causing substances. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: White efflorescence formation on dry fermented sausages is a major problem on dry fermented sausages, which causes food waste and financial loss for the producer. This study investigated different combinations of promising methods and it was possible to inhibit the white efflorescence formation during the storage. The methods are easy to implement during the manufacturing of the products and are therefore quite interesting for the industrial applications.

Local injection of a hexametaphosphate formulation reduces heterotopic ossification in vivo

Heterotopic ossification (HO), the pathological formation of ectopic bone, is a debilitating condition which can cause chronic pain, limit joint movement, and prevent prosthetic limb fitting. The prevalence of this condition has risen in the military population, due to increased survivorship following blast injuries. Current prophylaxes, which aim to target the complex upstream biological pathways, are inconsistently effective ​and have a range of side-effects that make them unsuitable for combat-injured personnel. As such, many patients must undergo further surgery to remove the formed ectopic bone. In this study, a non-toxic, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) -approved calcium chelator, hexametaphosphate (HMP), is explored as a novel treatment paradigm for this condition, which targets the chemical, rather that biological, ​bone formation pathways. This approach allows not only prevention of pathological bone formation ​but also uniquely facilitates reversal, which current drugs cannot achieve. Targeted, minimally invasive delivery is achieved by loading HMP into an injectable colloidal alginate. These formulations significantly reduce ​the length of the ectopic bone formed in a rodent model of HO, with no effect on the adjacent skeletal bone. This study demonstrates the potential of localized dissolution as a new treatment ​and an alternative to surgery ​for pathological ossification and calcification conditions.