title: The effects of high salt and low pH on the water-holding of meat.
abstract: The study investigated the water-holding (WH) in meat in the pH-NaCl (ionic strength) combinations that prevail in dry sausages during fermentation and drying. WH in raw beef homogenates, with 230% added water, was determined by centrifugation at pH values of 5.47-4.60, and ionic strengths (μ) 0.50-1.50. The minimum WH in relation to pH was at pH 4.8, but at higher pH values, the WH optimum was at 1.0-1.5 μ; at lower pH-values (<5.0) the optimum was more pronounced at 1.0 μ. The WH reducing effect by pH decrease was stronger than the effect of μ. At lower pH values, the relative effect of μ on WH was higher compared to that of pH than at higher pH values. The pH-salt combinations prevailing in fermented sausage in the beginning of the ripening produced a high WH, which decreased, first with pH decrease and then in the last period of ripening mainly due to the increase of ionic strength.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Technology, University of Helsinki, PO Box 66, Agnes Sjöbergin katu 2, FI-00014 Helsinki, Finland. eero.puolanne@helsinki.fi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Puolanne
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Peltonen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005285:Fermentation; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000032:analysis*; D012982:Sodium, Dietary / Q000032:analysis*; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D012982:Sodium, Dietary; D014867:Water; D012965:Sodium Chloride