Meat Curing The Action of NaCl on Meat Electrolyte Binding

SUMMARY Blended mixtures of meat and water containing different concentrations of NaCl were stored for 24 hr at 3°C and further stored for 1 hr at either 3 or 70°C. Then water, nitrogen, chloride, pH, sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and zinc were determined in aqueous extracts obtained by centrifugation. The results show that little or no sodium, potassium, or chloride was bound at 3 and 70°C. At 3°C, the addition of NaCl resulted in an increase of free calcium, magnesium, and, to a lesser extent, zinc. On heating at 70°C, with no added NaCl, all of the magnesium was free, soluble calcium increased, and zinc decreased. At 70°C, on addition of NaCl, free calcium increased and zinc decreased. Zinc was the only electrolyte that was substantially and strongly associated or bound with soluble protein.