Algin/Calcium Gel as a Raw and Cooked Binder in Structured Beef Steaks

Structured meat products which could bind raw as well as cooked would be superior to existing structured products. Therefore, the algin/calcium gel system was, studied. Structured beef steaks were made using three levels of sodium alginate and three levels of CaCO 3 . Three additional treatments were included as controls. Treatments were subjectively evaluated for six raw parameters: discoloration, color intensity, alginate pocket area, alginate pocket size, percentage fat and raw bind. Treatments were also subjectively evaluated for four cooked parameters: aroma, flavor, mouthfeel and cooked bind. The algin/calcium gel mechanism can be used to produce structured beef steaks which bind in both the raw and cooked state. Optimum ingredient levels were 0.8–1.2% sodium alginate, 0.144–0.216% CaCO 3 with 500 ppm sodium erythorbate.