Water Binding Ability of Meat Products: Effect of Fat Level, Effective Salt Concentration and Cooking Temperature

This study investigated the effect of fat level (5 and 30%), effective salt (NaCl) concentration (1.33–3.73%) and cooking temperature (56–80°C) on water binding ability (WBA) of a finely comminuted meat product. When compared at the same effective salt concentration, fat level had little effect on WBA. The effective salt concentration determined the maximum temperature product could be heated to before WBA started to decrease: these temperature ranged from 57°C at the lowest salt concentration to 68°C at the highest. Salt level also determined rate at which WBA decreased with increasing temperature: rates ranged from – 1.3% per °C at the lowest salt concentration to – 0.3% per °C at the highest. Increasing effective salt concentration above 2.93% had no beneficial effect on WBA.