Gelation Properties of Chicken Myofibrils Treated With Calcium and Magnesium Chlorides 1

Chicken myofibril gels were formed at pH 6.0 and ionic strength of 0.6 in the presence of calcium chloride (CaCl 2 ) and magnesium chloride (MgCl 2 ). The extractability of salt‐soluble protein (SSP) and myofibril gel strength of leg muscle were increased ( P < 0.05) by CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 and remained constant at 2.5 to 100 mM CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 . The transition temperatures (Tm's) for protein‐protein interaction of leg muscle SSP were decreased ( P < 0.05) by CaCl 2 but increased ( P < 0.05) by MgCl 2 . Breast muscle SSP extractability and myofibril gel strength were increased by CaCl 2 and MgCl 2 at less than 5 mM, but were decreased at greater than 10 mM. Tm's of breast muscle SSP were increased ( P < 0.05) by MgCl 2 but unchanged ( P > 0.05) by CaCl 2 . Moisture loss of breast and leg myofibril gels was at a minimum at less than 5 mM CaCl 2 or MgCl 2 but increased at greater concentrations of CaCl 2 or MgCl 2 . The divalent cations affected chicken myofibril gelation by changing the extraction and protein‐protein interaction of SSP.