Effects of Salt and Polyphosphate on Physical Properties of Meat Gel Treated with Microbial Transglutaminase

Abstract

The effects of MTG, salt and polyphosphate on the physical properties of meat gel were studied by breaking strength testing and creep testing. For meat gel without salt and polyphosphate, the values of gel strength, strain, E₀ and τ of did not change upon addition of MTG, whereas for meat gel with 2% salt and 0.3% polyphosphate, the values of gel strength, strain, η_N and τ increased with an increase in MTG. For meat gel with MTG and 0.3% polyphosphate, the gel strength and strain values were not different from the values without MTG. Gel strength and strain increased with an increase in MTG, and E₀, η_N and τ increased with addition of salt to a concentration of 0.5%, after which they were constant. For meat gel with MTG and 2% salt, the values of E₀, η_N and τ did not change even with an increase in MTG or salt ; in fact, with addition of MTG, E₀ decreased. η_N and τ increased with an increase in polyphosphate. ε-(γ-Gln)Lys crosslinkages increased with an increase in MTG, especially at low concentrations of salt and polyphosphate. Based on the results, it was suggested that MTG could have functional property as a replacement for salt and polyphosphate.