EFFECT OF SALT, PHOSPHATES AND OTHER CURING INGREDIENTS ON SHRINKAGE OF LEAN PORK MEAT AND QUALITY OF SMOKED PROCESSED HAM

Whole, lean hams were ground and thoroughly mixed with curing ingredients, NaNO2 (150 ppm), NaNO3 (600 ppm), sodium ascorbate (275 ppm) and sodium erythorbate (275 ppm); NaCl (1-10%) and sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) (0.15-0.9%) or equivalent amounts of sodium pyrophosphate (PP). The meat with the additives was analyzed for meat shrinkage using the centrifugal tube method. The curing ingredients NaNO2, NaNO3, sodium ascorbate and sodium erythorbate have little effect on meat shrinkage. Addition of 1-3% salt reduced the meat shrinkage from 34-14%, followed by a plateau at 3-5% salt additions and a continuous increase of the meat shrinkage with the increase of the salt addition from 5-10%. Addition of 0.3% TPP with 3-5% salt decreased the meat shrinkage to 5%. The equivalent addition of PP (0.217%) was equally effective and no significant effect on the meat shrinkage was observed by increasing the TPP addition above 0.3%. Cut-and-formed smoked, cured ham containing 3% salt, 0.3% TPP (or 0.217% PP) and the other curing ingredients was as acceptable as the ham with 0.5% TPP (pr 0.362% PP). The product with 0.3% TPP had equally good color, flavor and texture and was as resistant to rancidity development (TBA-values) during refrigerated storage as the product with 0.5% TPP. Based on these data, the presently allowed use by USDA (USA Department of Agriculture) of 0.5% TPP in cure hams can be reduced to a maximum allowance of 0.3%.