COATING WITH SODIUM ALGINATE AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE FUNCTIONAL PROPERTIES AND STRUCTURE OF FROZEN PORK

Abstract

ABSTRACT The main objective of this study was to explore an edible coating for improving the quality of frozen pork. The results show that coating pork with sodium alginate can decrease thawing loss of meat, and is very useful to maintain the functional properties of frozen pork and can affect total protein solubility. Both sodium alginate and CaCl2 concentration had significant influences on reactive sulphydryl; CaCl2 could reduce shear force and pH significantly. The optimum coating conditions in the experiments were sodium alginate concentration: 3%, concentration of CaCl2: 7% and the time of sodium alginate solution reacts with CaCl2 solution on the meat surface: 5–7 min. During frozen storage, the treatment using the optimum coating condition can decrease thawing loss, shear force and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and can increase total protein solubility and sarcoplasmic protein solubility of the frozen pork. This indicates that coating pork with sodium alginate can maintain its quality during frozen storage. There were no significant differences of structures between the control and the treatment using the optimum coating condition. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSFrozen storage is an economically favorable method of meat storage. However, the freezing procedure and frozen storage can deteriorate meat quality attributes. In our experiment, we found that coating pork meat with sodium alginate can decrease thawing loss and maintain the functional properties of frozen pork meat. Our research is very useful to develop an economical method to lower the amount of drip loss on thawing, and enhance the eating quality and monetary value. Coating the foods with edible materials can also serve as a means to improve the freezing procedure. The optimal coating conditions found in our experiment could maintain the quality of pork meat during frozen storage. These provide an economically favorable method of meat storage.