Moisture Retention and Textural Properties of Ground Chicken Meat as Affected by Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Ionic Strength and pH

Batches of ground chicken meat were mixed with 10% solutions containing 0.0–5.0% sodium tripolyphosphate and sufficient NaCl to adjust the ionic strength (IS) of the solutions from <0.7 to 6.0 at pH 6.5 to 9.5 in a 6 × 4 × 7 factorial experimental design. Patties prepared from the mixtures were evaluated for pH, cooking loss, and objective texture characteristics. Most effects of STPP were attributable to the direct effect of STPP on IS. However the ability of the phosphate to alter textural properties was greater at a pH value near the pK a of the phosphate.