title: Heme pigment content in meat as affected by the addition of curing agents.
abstract: The effects of curing agents on the content of heme pigments (HP) in meat were examined. Minced porcine skeletal muscle was treated with NaCl, NaNO(2) and sodium ascorbate (NaAsA), separately or in combination, and stored at 2-3°C for 7 days. HP content decreased with increase in NaCl concentration and the decrease was about 50% and 80% at NaCl concentrations of 2% and 10%, respectively. Two percent NaCl prevented HP destruction, when previously mixed with 100 ppm NaNO(2) or 0·1% NaAsA. Although some decrease in HP content was noted following application of a mixture of NaCl, NaNO(2) and NaAsA, it was essentially the same as that of the control during 7 days of refrigerated storage. In a model solution containing the same curing agents as those applied to the meat. NaCl had no effect and myoglobin (Mb) content remained constant during storage. From the present results, endogenous muscle constituents appear to act in concert with NaCl to bring about a decrease in HP content.
authors: Laboratory of Science and Technology of Animal Products, School of Veterinary Medicine, Azabu University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 229, Japan.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Sakata
authors: Y
authors: Y
authors: Nagata