The Effect of Specialty Salts on Cooking Loss, Texture Properties, and Instrumental Color of Beef Emulsion Modeling Systems

ObjectivesSalt plays an integral role in meat processing, and reduction or exclusion will have negative impacts on water holding capacity and binding function of protein and fat. Specific to meat emulsions, NaCl is used in the formulation due to its effect on the solubilization (extraction) of myofibrillar meat proteins, which allow the formation and stabilization of the interfacial matrix during manufacture and preparation. While previous research has addressed preservation (shelf-life and oxidation attributes) and flavor (sensory attributes) when using specialty salts in meat products, the application of specialty salts in meat emulsions has never been addressed in a scientific manner. Therefore, the purpose here was to evaluate the incorporation of different levels and types of specialty salts on the physicochemical and textural characteristics of beef emulsions.Materials and MethodsThree specialty NaCl salts (premium sea salt, pink sea salt, and gray sea salt) were added to beef emulsion modeling systems at three different inclusion levels (0.70, 1.00, and 1.30%) and then compared with commercially sourced white salt. Salt (NaCl) purity levels for commercially sourced white salt, premium sea salt, pink sea salt, and gray sea salt were 99.8, 99.8, 95.2, and 94.9%, respectively. Cooking loss, emulsion stability, proximate composition, pH, texture profile analysis, and instrumental color of the emulsions were evaluated with three independent replications from one batch of ground beef. One batch of ground beef was used to properly control for confounding factors such as beef source and day of manufacture. Treatment was applied to one of twelve 500-g base emulsions (without artificial food dyes, preservatives, spices, and seasonings) containing beef (according to the level of salt added), water (28.14%), oil (8.00%), starch (2.00%), and phosphate (0.35%) for each replication (36 total experimental units). Data were analyzed with PROC GLIMMIX of SAS with fixed effects of salt type, salt inclusion level, and their interaction, and the random effect of replication. Least square means were separated using the PDIFF option with a Tukey-Kramer adjustment, and was further separated using an orthogonal set of estimate statements to analyze linear and quadratic effects for salt inclusion level. Differences were considered different at P ≤ 0.05.ResultsEmulsion stability and cooking loss were primarily affected (P < 0.01) by salt inclusion level rather than salt type (P ≥ 0.13). Stability increased and cooking loss decreased as salt inclusion level increased (linear P < 0.01). Proximate composition of cooked meat emulsions trended differently as salt increased from 0.70% to 1.30% salt inclusion level for the different salt types. Moisture increased and lipid decreased for commercial white salt, while moisture decreased, and lipid increased for all three of the specialty salts. Hardness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness of emulsions increased as the level of salt increased for all the treatments and were greatest (P < 0.0001) in all treatments at the 1.30% salt inclusion level, however, no differences were observed between the salt types.ConclusionOverall, salt inclusion level, rather than salt type, had significant effects on the solubilization of protein and dispersion interactions of the emulsions, which affected physicochemical and functional properties.

Correlation Among Ground Beef Lipid Content, Color, and Lipid Oxidation Over a 7-Day Simulated Retail Display Period

ObjectivesGround beef is more susceptible to lipid oxidation compared to whole muscle beef cuts. This is due to its smaller particle size and greater surface area, which makes the meat products more prone to be exposed to various environmental factors during production. The objective of this study was to determine the relationships among ground beef lipid content, instrumental color, visual discoloration, and lipid oxidation over a 7d simulated retail display period.Materials and MethodsBeef inside rounds (IMPS #168) from the right sides of steer carcasses (n = 63) were collected from a commercial processing facility and delivered to the U of Guelph Meat Science Laboratory for further analyses. Each inside round was trimmed of all subcutaneous fat and connective tissue, and then fabricated into ground beef patties (113 g/patty) at two targeted fat addition levels (no added fat and 25%). Lean ground beef (no added fat) was made by grinding cubes of inside round muscle through a Sirman Master 90 Y12 meat grinder (Sirman USA, Franklin Park, IL). Regular ground beef (25% added fat) was made by grinding cubed round muscle with an additional 25% subcutaneous fat that originated from the rib primal of the same carcass. For the simulated retail shelf life study, 2 crust frozen patties (crust frozen for 1 h to improve packaging ability) were placed on a Styrofoam meat tray with a soaker pad and overwrapped with PVC film. In total, there were 4 trays of patties per ID (2 trays/targeted fat level). Trays were placed under two LED lights (52 W, 1850 lumens, color temperature of 4000K, 1612.5 to 2152 lux) at 4°C and the locations on shelves were changed every 24 h. Minolta L*, a*, b* color and subjective surface discoloration were evaluated every 24 h for 7 d. Lipid peroxidation of patties before and after the retail display was estimated using thiobarbituric reactive substances (TBARS; mg MDA/g fat). Lipid content of patties was quantified using Soxhlet extraction with petroleum ether. Summary statistics and Pearson correlation coefficients were determined using the PROC CORR procedure of SAS. Correlations were regarded as weak at r < |0.35|, moderate at |0.36| ≤ r ≤ |0.67|, and strong at r ≥ |0.68|.ResultsLipid content in the 126 ground beef samples evaluated in this study ranged from 3.47% to 30.43% (16.30% ± 6.18%). A moderate and significant correlation was observed between lipid content and change in TBARS values (r = –0.59, P < 0.0001). Similarly, an increase in lipid content is moderately correlated with a decrease in a* values (r = –0.58, P < 0.0001) and an increase in surface discoloration after a 7d display period (r = 0.53, P < 0.0001). Δ TBARS values was weakly correlated with Δ L* (r = 0.24, P < 0.01), Δ a* (r = 0.11, P = 0.25), and visual discoloration (r = –0.16, P = 0.09). Finally, Δ a* was strongly correlated with surface discoloration values at d7 (r = –0.76, P < 0.0001).ConclusionAn increase of lipid content in ground beef had a moderate association with decreased redness, greater surface discoloration, and less change in lipid oxidation over a 7d simulated retail display period. Color values were not great predictors of lipid oxidation values and trained technicians often equated visual discoloration in beef to a deviation from the desired cherry red color.