Coating with sodium alginate and its effects on the functional properties and structure of frozen pork

Abstract

The main objective of this study was to explore an edible coating for improving the quality of frozen pork. The results show that coating pork with sodium alginate can decrease thawing loss of meat, and is very useful to maintain the functional properties of frozen pork and can affect total protein solubility. Both sodium alginate and CaCl2 concentration had significant influences on reactive sulphydryl; CaCl2could reduce shear force and pH significantly. The optimum coating conditions in the experiments were sodium alginate concentration: 3%, concentration of CaCl 2: 7% and the time of sodium alginate solution reacts with CaCl 2 solution on the meat surface: 5-7 min. During frozen storage, the treatment using the optimum coating condition can decrease thawing loss, shear force and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and can increase total protein solubility and sarcoplasmic protein solubility of the frozen pork. This indicates that coating pork with sodium alginate can maintain its quality during frozen storage. There were no significant differences of structures between the control and the treatment using the optimum coating condition. © 2008, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.