RESTRUCTURED REINDEER STEAKS - EFFECTS OF FLAKE SIZE, PHOSPHATE, AND SALT ON SENSORY PROPERTIES

Steaks, fabricated from forequarters from field-slaughtered Alaskan reindeer, were prepared from meat flaked to two sizes (1.295 and 1.905 cm), with (0.5%) and without phosphate, and with (0.5%) and without salt. Phosphate did not appreciable affect sensory properties. Larger flakes and salt improved quality and acceptability, therefore, additional steaks were fabricated from meat flaked with a larger cutting head (4.064-cm) and with three levels of salt (0.0,0.5 and 0.75%). Steaks containing 0.75% salt were less chewy, softer, jucier, and more acceptable than those made with 0.5% salt but did not differ from those containing no salt. Feasibility of producing restructured steaks from reindeer forequarters was demonstrated.