Water and Absorptive Properties of Restructured Beef Products with Five Binders at Four Isothermal Temperatures

Water and absorptive properties of five restructured meat products with binders were determined at 35, 45, 55 and 65 °C. Binders were: isolated soy protein, sodium caseinate, waxy modified corn starch, carrageenan, and hydrolysed oat flour. Forty gram meat samples were heated (25–30 min) in a water-bath set at the desired internal temperature. Properties were measured with standard techniques: drip loss after freezing and before heating, cooking losses, pH,aw, water-holding capacity and water-absorption capacity. Randomized complete block designs were used. Water absorptive properties were highly affected by binders, heating temperatures and their interactions. The influence of the binders on the quality of restructured beef products during heat processing was temperature-dependent.