Dairygold Co-Operative Society (Ireland)

Meat exudates were collected from massaged cured porcine M semimembranosus using a model massaging unit. Exudates were used to observe changes in gelation properties due to the incorporation of commercially available non-meat proteins. These included: soya isolate (90%), sodium (Na) caseinate (85%) and high gelling whey protein concentrates (WPCs, A-35%, B-75% and C-β-lactoglobulin (55%), as well as a regular 76% protein, WPC D. Compositional analysis ( n=6) showed that incorporation of non-meat proteins significantly (P<0.05) increased the protein concentration of test exudates in all cases compared to controls. The viscoelastic properties of control and test meat exudate samples (n=6) were analysed using control stress rheology in oscillatory mode. All exudates were heated from 20 to 80°C at 1°C min−1, and subsequently cooled after 30 min back down to 20°C at 1°C min −1. Addition of WPCs at a 1, 2 and 3% residual powder level and soya isolate at a 1% residual level, resulted in increased storage modulus G′ (Pa) values compared with controls. A 1% residual level of Na caseinate was detrimental to meat exudate gelation, resulting in lower final G′ (Pa) values than those observed for the control. © 1999 Society of Chemical Industry