Food Chemistry 85 (2004) 423–429

www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchem

Transglutaminase as binding agent in fresh restructured beef steak

with added walnuts
A. Serrano, S. Cofrades, F. Jiménez Colmenero*
Instituto del Frı´o (CSIC). C/José Antonio Novais, 10. Ciudad Universitaria, 28040, Madrid, Spain

Received 25 April 2003; received in revised form 21 July 2003; accepted 21 July 2003

Abstract
Restructured beef steaks with added walnuts (0, 10 and 20%) and salts (2% NaCl and 0.3% sodium tripolyphosphate), were
prepared, using microbial transglutaminase (MTG) (0.7%)/sodium caseinate (3%) as cold-set binder, and stored in chilling condi-
tions (6 days at 3  C). Restructured beef steak with walnuts presented acceptable sensory characteristics. Addition of both walnuts
and salts reduced the total loss (sum of purge and cooking losses), which increased (P< 0.05) during storage. Added walnut reduced
(P <0.05) binding strength of uncooked and cooked products. With MTG, the restructured beef steaks presented suitable
mechanical characteristics (meat particle binding) for handling in the raw state. However, other means need to be used, along with
MTG, to induce the protein–water interactions required for suitable water and binding properties in fresh and cooked products.
# 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords: Restructured; Beef steak; Transglutaminase; Walnut; Chilling storage

1. Introduction Restructured meats offer many major advantages for

consumers and for the meat industry. Experiments
Cardiovascular diseases are the principal cause of using conventional meat restructuring systems (includ-
death in developed countries, and diet is one of the ing NaCl and phosphate) with added walnuts to make
major factors in their incidence. Epidemiological studies restructured beef steak (precooked and frozen) have
show that frequent consumption of nuts in general, and resulted in products with acceptable physicochemical
walnuts in particular, correlates inversely with myo- and sensory properties (Cofrades, Serrano, Ayo, Solas,
cardial infarction or death by vascular ischaemic dis- Carballo, & Jiménez Colmenero, in press; Jiménez Col-
ease, regardless of other risk factors, such as age, sex, menero, Serrano, Ayo, Solas, Cofrades, & Carballo, in
smoking, hypertension, weight and exercise (Fraser, press). Such kinds of meat products can only be mar-
Sabaté, Beeson, & Strahan, 1992; Iwamoto et al., 2000; keted either precooked or frozen because the product
Sabaté, 1993). This effect has been associated with the bind is not very strong in the raw state. However, con-
peculiar blend of nutrients and phytochemical com- sumers tend to appreciate these less than fresh meat
pounds found in walnuts: high-biological-value pro- products, and they therefore need to be suitable for raw
teins, vegetable fibre, polyunsaturated (linoleic and handling in the chilled state (Kuraishi, Sakamoto,
linolenic) fatty acids and micronutrients, such as folic Yamazani, Susa, Kuhara, & Soeda, 1997; Wijngaards &
acid, magnesium, liposoluble vitamins (especially Paardekooper, 1988).
g-tocopherol), and other antioxidants (phytosterols and The use of transglutaminase has been described as a
polyphenols). All these combine in complex ways to procedure for cold gelification of muscle protein which
exert beneficial effects on serum lipid profiles and other can reduce or eliminate the need to add NaCl and
risk factors that can cause or exacerbate cardiovascular phosphate (Kuraishi et al., 1997; Nielsen, Petersen, &
diseases. Moller, 1995; Wijngaards & Paardekooper, 1988).
Because of the potential health benefits, there is growing
* Corresponding author. Fax: +34-91-549-36-27. interest among consumers and processors in reducing
E-mail address: [email protected] (F. Jiménez Colmenero). the use of NaCl in meat processing. Kuraishi et al.
0308-8146/$ - see front matter # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.foodchem.2003.07.021
424 A. Serrano et al. / Food Chemistry 85 (2004) 423–429

(1997) reported that a microbial transglutaminase 2.2. Products preparation

(MTG)/sodium caseinate (C) system (0.05–0.1% MTG/
0.5–1% C) could be usefully employed as a meat binder For the preparation of restructured beef steak, meat
at low temperature (5  C). With this system, transglu- packages were thawed (approx. 18 h 3 2  C, reaching
taminase could serve as a real cold-set binder to produce between 3 and 5  C) and passed once through a
restructured meat in the raw, refrigerated state without grinder (Mainca, Granollers, Spain) with a 2-cm plate.
addition of NaCl. However, this study reported no data Four different products were formulated (Table 1). The
on how this treatment might affect important product procedure was as follows: meat was mixed for 1 min in a
characteristics, such as water-binding properties in the mixer (Mainca, Granollers, Spain); half of the water
raw state and water-binding and textural properties of (with salt and STP as appropiate) was added and the
cooked muscle food. whole mixed again for 1 min; sodium caseinate was
For practical application, the effect of a MTG/C sys- sprinkled on and the whole mixed again for 2 min.
tem on restructured meat prepared for distribution as a Transglutaminase was dissolved in the other half of the
chilled product has to be assessed over several days to water with an Omnimixer (Omni International, Water-
reflect real commercial conditions. However, there are bury, CT USA); this solution was added to the first and
hardly any studies on how the time in chilled storage the whole mixed again for 2 min. Finally, walnut was
can affect the characteristics of raw and cooked meat added and the whole mixed again for 2 min. Mixing
systems prepared with MTG as a cold-set binder time was standardized at 8 min.
(Carballo, Ayo, & Jiménez Colmenero, submitted for Each batch was placed in metal moulds (1.25 kg) and
publication). Carballo et al. reported changes in char- stored at 3  C overnight, to allow MTG action. Metal
acteristics during chilling storage of finely comminuted moulds were kept at 18  C until the samples were solid
meat batter (from different meat species) prepared with enough to be sliced (Mainca, Granollers, Spain) into
MTG. However, no information is available on other steaks (140 g 3; 1.0 cm  0.05 thick). Each steak was
studies that provide data on the behaviour of fresh weighed, vacuum packed and stored at 3  C. Evalua-
restructured steak treated with MTG/G (and processed tions were performed initially (16–18 h after packaging),
at less than 10  C) after several days in chilled storage. and at 2 and 6 days.
One purpose of this experiment was to ascertain how
use of a TGM/C system as a cold-set binder affected the 2.3. Proximate analysis and pH
characteristics of restructured beef steak with different
concentrations of walnut (0, 10 and 20%). Another was Moisture and ash contents of the raw samples were
to determine the influence of chilling storage (6 days at determined (AOAC, 1984) in quadruplicate. Fat content
3  C) on the properties of these meat products. The was evaluated (in duplicate) according to Bligh and
parameters measured to determine the effect of the Dyer (1959). Protein content was measured in quad-
treatment were the sensory, colour and water/fat and ruplicate by a Nitrogen Determinator LECO FP-2000
meat particle binding properties of raw and cooked (Leco Corporation, St. Joseph, MI). The pH of the raw
products. products was determined in duplicate using a pH meter
(Radiometer PHM 93, Copenhagen, Denmark) on a
homogenate of a 10 g sample in 100 ml distilled water.
2. Materials and methods
2.4. Sensory evaluation
2.1. Meat preparation and additives
Samples from each formulation were randomly
Select beef top rounds (15 kg) were trimmed of fat assigned for sensory evaluation. Steaks were cooked in a
and connective tissue and cut into strips (approx. forced air oven (Rational CM6, Großküchentechnik
5420 cm). Lots of approx. 1.2 kg, were vacuum- GmbH, Landsberg a. Lech) (at 170  C during 10 min)
packed, frozen to 20  C and stored at that temperature to a core 70  C determined beforehand by inserting
until used. thermocouples, which were connected to a temperature
The following additives were used for preparation of recorder (Yokogawa Hokushin Electric YEW, model
restructured beef: sodium caseinate (Anvisa, Arganda 3087, Tokyo, Japan). Slices were cut into uniform sized
del Rey, Madrid, Spain), microbial transglutaminase pieces and served warm ( 45  C) to a 10 member panel.
(Activa WM, Ajinomoto Co, Inc, Kawasaki, Japan), Panellists were selected from among staff in a pre-
sodium chloride (Panreac Quimica, S.A. Barcelona, liminary session, then trained with the products and
Spain) and sodium tripolyphosphate (STP) (Panreac terminology. A description of attributes was discussed
Quimica, S.A. Barcelona, Spain). Walnut, ground down with the panel members. Panellists were asked to evalu-
to a particle size of < 0.8 mm, was supplied by Bernardo ate the samples on a non-structured scale (of 10 cm)
Josa Quilez, (Valencia, Spain). without fixed extremes, with reference to the following
 A. Serrano et al. / Food Chemistry 85 (2004) 423–429 425

Table 1
Formulation of different restructured beef steaksa

Samples Beef (g) NaCl (g)+STP (g) Walnut (g) Water (g) MTG (g) Caseinate (g) Total (g)

NS/0 3452 0 0 400 28 120 4000

NS/10 3052 0 400 400 28 120 4000
NS/20 2652 0 800 400 28 120 4000
S/10 2960 80+12 400 400 28 120 4000
a
STP, sodium tripolyphosphate; MTG, microbial transglutaminase. The first term in each sample denomination indicates: NS, salt-free products;
S, product prepared with added salts (NaCl and STP). The second indicates added walnuts (%).

parameters: flavour, texture, and overall acceptability. cooking loss. These parameters reflect water- and fat-
Each point marked was converted to a numerical value binding properties of the samples.
from 0 (dislike extremely) to 10 (like extremely) accord-
ing to location. At the same time panellists were asked 2.7. Binding strength
to evaluate the off-flavour according to the following
scale: 1 (none) and 5 (intense). Sensory evaluation was Portions were prepared from three raw restructured
conducted under red light to minimize perceptions of beef steaks per formulation. Six portions (551 cm)
colour caused by the different proportions of walnut. were obtained per formulation to assess the ability of
Each panellist tasted three samples per session. the meat pieces to adhere to one another (bind
strength), in a procedure similar to that of Field, Wil-
2.5. Surface colour liams, Prasad, Cross, Secrit, and Brewer (1984). The
bind strength (BS) was measured as the peak force (N)
Surface colour (lightness, L; redness, a and yellow- required for a 1.9 cm ball, at a cross head speed of 100
ness, b) of raw restructured beef steaks was evaluated on mm/min (in a 500 N load cell), to break through a meat
a HunterLab model D25-9 (D45/2 ) (Hunter Associates slice mounted on a ring of 3.2 cm inner diameter.
Laboratory Inc., Reston, VA). Colour determinations Similar instrumental texture analyses were carried out
were performed immediately before bind strength anal- on identical cooked portions cut from restructured
ysis on the beef steaks, whole and 20 min after the steaks used to determine cooking loss. Instrumental
packages were opened. Determinations were performed texture analysis was conducted using a TA-XT2 Texture
on three steaks per formulation; there were six determi- Analyser (Texture Technologies Corp., Scarsdale, NY).
nations per steak (three on either surface of the steak). Raw samples and cooked samples were measured at
room temperature.
2.6. Purge loss, cooking loss and total loss
2.8. Statistical analysis
Three restructured beef steaks from each formulation
were removed each time (initial, 2 and 6 days) from Data were analysed using Statgraphics 2.1 (STSC
their vacuum packages and after 15 min were manually Inc., Rockville, MD) for one- and two-way ANOVA.
wiped with a paper towel to remove visible exudate. The least squares difference method was used to com-
Purge loss (PL) was calculated as weight loss divided pare mean values among treatments and the Tukey
by original weight (before packaging), expressed as a HSD test was used to identify significant differences
percentage. (P < 0.05) among main effects (walnut proportion and
These three restructured beef steaks were cooked in a time of storage).
forced air oven (Rational CM6, Großküchentechnik
GmbH, Landsberg a. Lech) (at 170  C during 10 min)
to a core 70  C determined beforehand by inserting 3. Results and discussion
thermocouples, which were connected to a temperature
recorder (Yokogawa Hokushin Electric YEW, model 3.1. Proximate analysis and pH
3087, Tokyo, Japan). After 30 min at room temperature
(20–22  C), steaks were manually wiped with a paper The proportion of added walnut significantly affected
towel to remove visible exudate. Cooking loss (CL) was the proximate analysis of restructured beef steak
calculated as weight loss divided by original weight (Table 2). Addition of walnut gradually increased
(before packaging), expressed as a percentage. Total (P < 0.05) fat values and reduced (P < 0.05) moisture
loss (TL) was calculated as the sum of purge and and protein values (Table 2). The proportion of ash in
426 A. Serrano et al. / Food Chemistry 85 (2004) 423–429

S/10 samples was greater, due to the addition of more noticeable (P < 0.05) the higher the percentage of
salts. These results are consistent with meat product added walnut. The panel viewed this positively since the
formulations (Table 1) where meat was replaced by flavour, texture and overall acceptability scores were
walnut. Both non-meat ingredients (walnut and salts) higher than the control. (Table 3). Similar results have
increased (P < 0.05) pH of meat products (Table 2). been reported by Jiménez Colmenero et al. (2003). The
Jiménez Colmenero et al. (2003) reported no effect of presence of salts (NS/10 versus S/10) produced no
walnut on pH. appreciable change in the sensory evaluation. It was
concluded that restructuring with walnuts produced
3.2. Sensory analysis acceptable sensory characteristics.

Sensory evaluation indicated that walnut significantly 3.3. Surface colour

affected the sensory quality of restructured steak
(Table 3). The panel were able to detect the addition of Addition of walnut produced an increase (P < 0.05) of
walnut as a slight off-flavour (walnut-like) which was L and b and a decrease (P < 0.05) of redness (Table 4).
Similar results have been reported by Jiménez Colme-
Table 2 nero et al. (2003). In general, salts decreased lightness
Proximate analysis (%) and pH of raw restructured beef steaksa and increased redness (Table 4). Trout, Chen, and Dale
Samples Moisture Protein Fat Ash pH (1990) reported that the presence of NaCl and STP did
not affect L, a and b values of restructured pork chops.
NS/0 74.0a 22.2a 2.2a 1.0a 5.7a Storage time decreased lightness and increased red-
NS/10 67.7b 20.8b 8.3b 1.2b 5.9b
NS/20 60.8c 19.2c 13.6c 1.1ab 6.0c
ness, except in the case of the S/10 sample (Table 4).
S/10 66.6d 20.7b 8.3b 3.5c 6.1d While yellowness of NS/0 and NS/10 samples had
SEM 0.17 0.13 0.28 0.03 0.01 increased (P < 0.05) by day 6 of storage, NS/20 and S/10
a
were unaffected (P > 0.05) by refrigerated storage. Other
For sample denomination see Table 1. Different letters in the same
column indicate significant differences (P<0.05). SEM=Standard authors (Boles & Shand, 1999; Bradford, Huffman,
error of the mean. Egbert, & Jones, 1993) have reported that refrigerated
storage of fresh pork sausage patties or restructured
Table 3
beef resulted in decreased lightness, redness and yellow-
Sensorial analysis of restructured beef steaksa ness, although this effect was attributed to extended
exposure of products to retail lighting conditions.
Samples Flavour Off-flavour Texture Overall
acceptability
3.4. Purge loss, cooking loss and total loss
NS/0 2.4a 1.1a 2.3a 1.9a
NS/10 6.2b 2.3b 6.5b 6.2b The presence of walnut reduced (P< 0.05) purge loss
NS/20 5.4b 3.8c 5.7b 5.7b
S/10 5.5b 2.7b 4.2b 5.3b
in restructured products over the entire storage period
SEM 0.56 0.21 0.58 0.61 (Table 5). At the outset of storage, purge loss was five
a
times greater in samples without walnut (NS/0) than in
For sample denomination see Table 1. Different numbers in
samples with 20% walnut (NS/20). Purge loss increased
the same column indicate significant differences (P<0.05). SEM=
Standard error of the mean. Flavour, texture and overall acceptability (P < 0.05) during chilling storage, and after 6 days the
scale (0: dislike extremely and 10: like extremely). Off-flavour scale (1: difference attributable to walnut was smaller (Table 5).
none and 5: intense). Purge loss ( < 1%) was smallest (P < 0.05) when salts

Table 4
Colour parameters of raw restructured beef steaksa

Lightness (L) Redness (a) Yellowness (b)

 
Days in storage (3 C) Days in storage (3 C) Days in storage (3  C)

Initial 2 6 Initial 2 6 Initial 2 6

NS/0 40.65a14 40.13a1 38.71b12 8.92a1 11.62b1 17.46c1 11.73a1 11.42a1 14.66b1
NS/10 44.10a2 43.19a2 39.44b1 8.38a12 12.68b2 11.81b2 13.32a2 13.54a2 14.25b1
NS/20 45.20a3 45.33a3 39.42b1 7.78a2 10.52b3 11.47c2 14.39a3 14.47a3 14.34a1
S/10 41.10a4 41.69a4 38.23b2 12.94a3 7.07b4 11.25c2 13.49a2 12.84a4 12.85a2

SEM 0.26 0.23 0.17

a
For sample denomination see Table 1. Different letters in the same row and different number in the same column indicate significant differences
(P<0.05). SEM=Standard error of the mean.
 A. Serrano et al. / Food Chemistry 85 (2004) 423–429 427

Table 5
Water- and fat-binding properties of restructured beef steaksa

Purge loss (%) Cooking loss (%) Total loss (%)

Days of storage (3  C) Days of storage (3  C) Days of storage (3  C)

Initial 2 6 Initial 2 6 Initial 2 6

a
NS/0 11.98a1 13.22a1 15.72b1 23.94a1 25.53a1 25.06a1 35.93a1 38.76 b1 40.78b1
NS/10 5.96a2 6.04a2 10.39b2 21.42a1 21.11a2 20.95a2 27.39a2 27.16a2 31.35b2
NS/20 2.43a3 2.29a3 7.48b3 16.63a2 17.02a3 16.79a3 19.06a3 19.33a3 23.27b3
S/10 0.52a4 0.51a4 0.70a4 8.27a3 10.13a4 9.98a4 8.79a4 10.64a4 10.68a4

SEM 0.41 0.76 0.81

a
For sample denomination see Table 1. Different letters in the same row and different numbers in the same column indicate significant differences
(P<0.05). SEM=Standard error of the mean.

were added (NS/10 versus S/10), and purge loss values cooking loss (40%) in comminuted poultry products.
remained stable (P > 0.05) throughout storage (Table 5). Meat batters (pork and beef) with MTG/C presented
Devatkal and Mendiratta (2001) reported up to 10% higher cooking loss than meat batters containing salts;
moisture loss in refrigerated restructured pork rolls (15 cooking loss increased in samples with MTG during chil-
days at 4  C). Fluid accumulation during chilled retail ling storage (Carballo et al., submitted for publication).
storage is one of the main problems with fresh marketed The good water-binding properties of the S/10 sample
products as it not only makes the product look unplea- (Table 5) were to be expected since NaCl and STP
sant to the consumer but it can also favour growth of solubilize meat proteins, which subsequently gel on
microorganisms. There is little information available on heating and immobilize water. However, there is some
restructured beef steak, but levels around 3.5–4.5%, disagreement in the literature as to how the addition of
which have been found in other commercially available MTG influences the effect of the salts on water-binding
meat products, tend to spoil their appearance (López- (Carballo et al., submitted for publication). The pre-
Caballero, Carballo, & Jiménez Colmenero, 1999). sence of MTG has been reported to have no influence
Addition of walnut generally reduced (P < 0.05) (Kilic, 2003; Pietrasik & Jarmoluk, 2003), to enhance
cooking loss (Table 5), which was unaffected (P > 0.05) (Kuraishi, Sakamoto, & Soeda, 1996; Pietrasik & Li-
by chilling storage, irrespective of the treatment. As in Chan, 2002; Tseng, Liu, & Chen, 2000) or to decrease
the case of purge loss, cooking loss was lower in pro- (Carballo et al., submitted for publication; Kuraishi et
ducts containing salts at all stages of the experiment al., 1996; O’Kennedy, 2000) the effect of salt on water-
(Table 5). The total loss (PL+CL), directly related to binding properties of muscle-based products. The effect
PL, decreased (P < 0.05) in the presence of walnut and of MTG on water-binding properties depends on the
increased (P < 0.05) during storage. Water- and fat- level and type of MTG used and the conditions in which
binding properties observed in this experiment (8–40%) it is used (e.g. reaction temperature and time, meat par-
are comparable to those reported in similar products ticle size and disruption methods, presence of other
(Boles & Shand, 1999; Chen & Trout, 1991; Sheard, ingredients and meat source).
Nute, & Chappel, 1998) with reference to a number of Our results suggest that other means need to be used,
different variables (e.g. composition, additives, cooking along with MTG, to induce the protein–water inter-
methods, oven temperature and sample dimensions). actions required for suitable water and binding properties
The effect of walnut on these properties may be rela- in fresh and cooked products. In the present experiment
ted to the relative moisture in the samples (Table 2). this was achieved by the addition of large amounts of
Our results show that when MTG/C (no salts) was used, walnut, but most importantly by the addition of salts.
the meat products exhibited less water- and fat-binding
ability (total loss 35–40%) (Table 5). Various studies 3.5. Binding strength
have shown that the use of MTG (without salts) can
result in meat products with poor water-binding prop- In salt-free samples, added walnut reduced (P < 0.05)
erties. O’Kennedy (2000) reported that the inclusion of the binding strength of raw restructured steak (Table 6).
MTG alone in a pork meat dispersion had no effect on Jiménez Colmenero et al. (2003) earlier reported that
cooking loss, but when added with sodium caseinate it walnut had no effect on uncooked restructured meat;
led to a decrease in cooking loss (40 to 27%). Kerry, however, this apparent discrepancy may have been due
O’Donnell, Brown, Kerry, and Buckley (1999) found to the fact that neither the walnut used, nor the gelation
that the presence of MTG had no influence on high process followed to manufacture the products, were the
428 A. Serrano et al. / Food Chemistry 85 (2004) 423–429

same in this experiment. A comparison of the samples tive effect on the cold-set binding capacity of MTG (S/
with 10% walnut (NS/10 and S/10) shows that meat 10 versus NS/10) (Table 6) in uncooked and cooked
particle binding increased (P < 0.05) in the presence of restructured meats (Carballo et al., submitted for pub-
salts. Chilling storage favoured (P < 0.05) higher BS in lication; Kuraishi et al., 1997; Tseng et al., 2000). This
all cases. Increases in penetration force during chilling behaviour has been attributed to the fact that NaCl and
storage of fresh meat batters (from different species) STP promote the extraction of myofibrillar proteins,
prepared with MTG as cold-binder agent have likewise which in turn act as a binding agent and make a good
been reported (Carballo et al., submitted for public- substrate for crosslinking reactions by MTG (Kuraishi et
ation). Irrespective of treatment, the formulated fresh al., 1997) leading to better meat particle binding (Table 6).
meat products presented structures suitable for handling There are several factors that can help to explain
in the raw state. Cooking increased the bind strength of increasing BS during storage (Table 6). Total weight
restructured meats. The effects of walnut, salts and chil- loss (purge and cooking loss) of restructured meats
ling storage on BS were similar to those recorded for increased in the course of storage (Table 5), and in such
fresh products (Table 6). A decrease in BS with the cases the products are generally more difficult to break
addition of walnut to cooked restructured steak has been apart during binding evaluation (Shao et al., 1999).
reported elsewhere (Jiménez Colmenero et al., 2003). However, this does not seem sufficient to account for
The effect of adding walnut on meat particle binding the changes in texture of sample S/10. The persistence of
has been associated with a number of factors (Jiménez residual MTG activity after 24 h would presumably
Colmenero et al., 2003). Increasing fat content (in pro- generate additional crosslinking reactions and hence
portion to walnut concentration) produces softer tex- greater binding of meat particles (Carballo et al., sub-
tures in restructured beef steak (Penfield, Costello, mitted for publication). In most available studies, the
McNeil, & Riemann, 1988). Addition of ingredients also MTG was allowed to act (reaction times vary from a
reduces the proportion of water available to form a gel few hours to around 24 h) and the product was cooked
matrix between meat pieces, which could again limit the before analysis (Chen, Chou, & Liu, 1998; Kilic, 2003;
binding process (Farouk, Hall, & Swan, 2000). Various Pietrasik, 2003; Pietrasik & Li-Chan, 2002; Ruiz-Car-
authors have reported that the addition of some ingre- rascal & Regenstein, 2002). We therefore have no
dients to meat products produced structures that were information on other studies that provide data on the
less rigid and more easily broken. This behaviour was behaviour of fresh meat products treated with MTG
attributed primarily to the dilution effect of non-meat (and processed at less than 10  C) after several days in
ingredients in meat protein systems (Rocha-Garza & chilled storage.
Zayas, 1996; Tsai, Unklesbay, Unklesbay, & Clarke, Incorporation of nuts in meat products can be used to
1998) or to their ability to reduce friction and/or bind- confer potential heart-healty benefits (Spanish Patent
ing among meat particles (Saleh & Ahmed, 1998); or Application 200300367). Restructured beef steak with
again, in relation to cooking yield, it has been suggested walnut presented acceptable sensory characteristics.
that less cooking loss (total loss in this case) makes for When MTG was used as a cold-binder agent in restruc-
products that are less rigid and more easily broken tured beef steaks, the products were mechanically sui-
apart during binding valuations (Shao, Avens, Schmidt, table (meat particle binding) for handling in the raw state
& Maga, 1999). but, when used in fresh and cooked products, water and
Salt-induced protein solubilization may influence the binding properties were inadequate. Other means are
BS of restructured meats in two ways: directly through therefore required to improve these properties, including
the thermal gelation process and indirectly through the the addition of non-meat ingredients such as walnuts,
action of MTG. Salt has been reported to have a posi- and more importantly salts.

Table 6
Binding strength (N) of raw and cooked restructured beef steaksa

Samples Raw Cooked

Days in storage (3  C) Days in storage (3  C)

Initial 2 6 Initial 2 6

NS/0 4.70a1 6.34b1 8.41c1 20.61ab1 17.53a1 24.06b1

NS/10 3.26a2 4.08ab2 4.50b2 13.21a2 15.93a1 19.87b2
NS/20 2.39a2 2.89ab3 3.49b2 8.71a3 10.42a b2 13.65b3
S/10 4.70a1 8.60b4 7.58b1 23.87a1 26.52a3 31.37b4
SEM 0.26 0.91
a
For sample denomination see Table 1. Different letters in the same row and different numbers in the same column indicate significant differences
(P<0.05). SEM=Standard error of the mean.
 A. Serrano et al. / Food Chemistry 85 (2004) 423–429 429

Acknowledgements caseinate on quality of chicken döner kebab. Meat Science, 63(3),

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