MUSCLE WASHING AND RAW-MATERIAL SOURCE AFFECT QUALITY AND PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF LOW-SALT, LOW-FAT, RESTRUCTURED BEEF

Five percent unwashed and washed skeletal (USM and WSM) and cardiac (UCM and WCM) muscle and fish surimi (FS) were evaluated in precooked (64.4-degrees-C), restructured beef using 0.2% NaCl. Additionally, a 0.2% NaCl product without binder and a 1.0% NaCl treatment containing 5% USM were made. Washing enhanced sensory and instrumental texture measures of products containing CM but did not affect products containing SM. UCM and WCM appeared beneficial for maintenance of product color but tended to increase lipid oxidation. Washing reduced surface hydrophobicity, decreased disulfide content of CM, increased free sulfhydryls of CM and SM, and lowered soluble protein in binder extracts. Binders did not improve product characteristics.