Effect of concentration of NaCl and sorbitol caused by dehydration on moisture content and water activity of cured meat from walleye pollack

Cured meat blocks containing 0.40 ?? 0.70M NaCl, 0.38 ?? 1.02M sorbitol and 0.38 ?? 0.68M NaCl mixed with 0.35 ?? 0.85M sorbitol were dehydrated at 15°C with 60% relative humidity. The concentrations of NaCl and sorbitol together with the moisture content and water activity of the meat were investigated as a function of dehydration time. The results were as follows; (1) The NaC1 and sorbitol concentrations in the cured meat remained in the same proportion during the dehydration process. (2) There was a negative correlation between the NaCl (and sorbitol) concentration in the meat and the moisture content of the same meat during the dehydration. (3) From this correlation, the apparent rate of dewatering ability with NaCl was tentatively calculated. (4) There was a positive correlation between the dewatering ability with NaCl and the relative proportion of sorbitol and NaCl in the meat which remained in a definite value during the dehydration process. (5) In the copresence of 1.0M NaCl, 0.5-1.5M sorbitol improved the rates of dewatering together with lowering water activity of the meat when submitted to dehydration. The results are applicable for regulating the quality of dry-salted fish products.