COLOR CHARACTERISTICS OF COOKED CURED-MEAT PIGMENT AND ITS APPLICATION TO MEAT

The colour characteristics of comminuted pork treated with pre-formed cooked cured-meat pigment and protoporphyrin-IX (PP-IX) were compared to that of nitrite-cured meat. Hunter L, a, b values indicated that pigment-treated meat, at 12 ppm level, upon cooking, closely resembled that of nitrite-cured meat. Addition of sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) and/or sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP) did not have a significant (P < 0·05) effect on the colour of pigment-treated meats as measured by Hunter L, a, b values. However, visually, STPP and, more notably, SAPP addition resulted in a more attractive product appearance. Meat samples treated with PP-IX, at all levels tested, upon cooking, resembled that of uncured meat as determined by Hunter L, a, b values. © 1990.