Effect of Meat Protein Fractions on Textural Characteristics of Meat Emulsions1

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0315-5463(77)73463-7Get rights and content

Abstract

The effect of isolated salt soluble protein and connective tissue fractions, at various concentrations, on textural characteristics of meat emulsions were examined. Tests were conducted initially with support mediums of Promine D (soy protein isolate) and ENRPRO-50 (whey protein concentrate) and subsequently with a meat emulsion system. The textural characteristics: resilience, firmness and rupture force, were measured using an Instron testing machine. Using the whey protein support medium, both types of proteins influenced firmness, resilience and rupture force with the salt soluble protein fraction causing the greater variation in textural properties. A significant increase in the textural properties was obtained using a meat emulsion system to which these protein fractions were added at the 2.5% level. Emulsions were prepared from meats treated with the proteolytic enzymes, collagenase, ficin and papain. The results of the latter study again suggest the involvement of both salt soluble and connective tissue protein fractions on texture.

Résumé

On a étudié l'effet d'un isolat protéique soluble en milieu salin et d'une fraction de tissu connectif, à diverses concentrations, sur les caractéristiques texturales d'émulsions carnées. Initialement on a fait les tests avec les milieux de support de Promine D (isolat protéique de soja) et d'ENRPRO-50 (concentré de protéines de petit-lait) et ensuite avec un système d'émulsion carnée. Les caractéristiques texturales: élasticité, fermeté et force de rupture, ont été mesurées à l'aide d'un instrument Instron. En utilisant des protéines de petit-lait comme support, les deux types de protéiues ont influencé la fermeté, l'élasticité et le force de rupture, mais la variation des propriétés texturales a été plus grande avec la fraction de protéines solubles en milieu salin. Les fractions protéiques utilisées au niveau de 2.5% ont augmenté d'une façon significative les propriétés texturales d'un système d'émulsion carnée. On a aussi préparé des émulsions à partir de viandes traitées aux enzymes protéolytiques collagénase, ficine et papaïne. Les résultats dérivés de cette dernière étude suggéree encore l'implication des deux types de fractions protéiques sur la texture.

Introduction

Texture has been regarded as one of the most important properties of fresh meat, especially steaks and roasts. In contrast, texture of processed meats such as wieners has received little attention. Recently, Roberts (1974a) has stated that a desirable characteristic of wieners is that of a firm and resilient texture. The factors contributing to such a texture are relatively unknown.

High fat levels (Baker and Darfler, 1975) and increased protein levels (Baker et al., 1969; Simon et al., 1965) produced firmer frankfurters; raising or lowering the pH from the normal (pH 6.1) resulted in softer and mushier poultry frankfurters (Baker et al., 1970). Webb et al. (1975) demonstrated that lipid and sausage emulsion processing temperatures affect the final texture of the product.Baker et al. (1972) stated that other factors affecting texture of frankfurters include emulsification of the fat, binding of the water in the formula and binding of the meat.

Monagle et al. (1974) demonstrated that processing conditions which encompass a stepwise temperature increase, a lowering of the relative humidity and an increase in air flow in the smokehouse resulted in a firmer and more acceptable frankfurter texture. The addition of various protein additives at high replacement levels for the meat component has been shown to be detrimental to the textural characteristics of wieners (Randall et al., 1976) and fresh sausages (Thomas et al., 1973).

These latter results would indicate that for certain compositions, there was an insufficient amount of available meat protein in the formulation to provide the characteristic textural properties. Although numerous researchers have shown that the various muscle protein fractions are major contributors to the texture of fresh meats, the effects which these protein fractions have on the textural qualities of comminuted meat products, specifically wieners, has been largely neglected.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of the salt soluble protein and connective tissue fractions of beef on the textural characteristics of model meat emulsion systems.

Section snippets

Experimental Procedures

The effect on textural characteristics of the addition of salt soluble protein (SSP) and connective tissue (CT) fractions, extracted from beef neck meat, at various concencentrations to non-meat emulsion systems was examined in the initial phase of this study. The second phase involved the addition of these fractions at two levels, 1.25% and 2.50%, to a simulated meat emulsion system. This latter system, in which 40% of the beef was replaced with a hydrated soy protein (Promine D) product, had

Results and Discussion

Initial studies were performed with model systems, based on soy (Promine D) and whey (ENPRO 50) protein, which thermally coagulate and set-up sufficiently to enable measurement of the textural characteristics. The high temperature (85°C) used with the soy protein based emulsion (Formula 1-—Table 1) caused the CT to be converted to gelatin necessitating a search for a protein system which thermally coagulated and set-up at a temperature closer to that used in wiener processing. Several systems

References (17)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (0)

1

Contribution No. 277 from Food Research Institute and No. 609 from Engineering Research Service

View full text