SODIUM LACTATE EFFECT ON SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS, COOKED MEAT COLOR AND CHEMICAL-COMPOSITION

Cooked, vacuum packaged beef top rounds injected with 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4% sodium lactate were stored up to 84 days at 0-degrees-C. Cooking yields and chemical composition were determined initially, while changes in sensory attributes, Warner-Bratzler shear force and color were evaluated after 0, 14, 28, 42, 56, 70 and 84 days storage. Increasing sodium lactate resulted in higher cooking yields and darker, redder color with less gray surface area. Flavor notes associated with fresh beef were enhanced by addition of sodium lactate, and flavor deterioration during storage was minimized. Palatability was improved by adding 1% sodium lactate, but beyond 1 to 2% it did not further improve. Changes in cooked meat tenderness were verified by Warner-Bratzler shear force measurements.