Salt Concentration and Species Affects Protein Extractability and Processed Meat Characteristics by Brianna

Salt-soluble protein extraction, important in forming meat emulsions, is dependent on several factors including species of the protein source. The purpose of this experiment was to quantify the amount of salt-soluble proteins in various muscles of three species commonly used in meat products beef, pork, and chicken. Pork and beef serratus ventralis muscles (dark) and the semitendinosus muscles (light), and chicken pectoralis major muscles (light) and the entire thigh (dark) muscles were used. Samples were analyzed for proximate composition and for saltsoluble protein content at salt (NaCl) concentrations of 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, 2%, 2.5%, 3%, and 3.5%. Overall, there was an increase in extractable salt-soluble protein content as the salt concentration increased. Chicken had the highest amount of extractable salt-soluble protein compared with beef or pork at all salt concentrations, when samples were corrected for fat and moisture content (P < 0.05). Chicken light muscles were able to extract more salt-soluble protein at most salt concentrations, except 0 and 2.5%, compared with chicken dark muscles (P < 0.01). This study demonstrates that chicken meat has increased amounts of extractable salt-soluble protein content compared to beef or pork.