Effects of high hydrostatic pressure and kappa-carrageenan on water-binding capacities and textural properties of low-fat pork blend gels

The treatment of high hydrostatic pressure(HHP) and addition of water-soluble polysaccharide are important methods that improve the quality of water-binding capacities(WBC) and textural properties(TP) of meat products. The effects of 100～300 MPa HHP and levels of κ-carrageenan addition(0, 0.25%, 0.50%, 0.75% and 1.00%, respectively) on WBC and TP of the pork muscle gels (PMG) were investigated. The results show that the addition of 0.5% κ-carrageenan can remarkably reduce cooking loss(CL), enhance total WBC and hardness of PMG(P＜0.05). Pressurization above 200 MPa can not only reduce significantly CL of PMG, but also enhance hardness, cohesiveness and chewiness(P＜0.05). But pressure from 100 to 300 MPa does not have obvious effect on springiness of the gels with 1.0% κ-carrageenan added(P＞0.05). In addition, more attention should be paid to evaluation methods of WBC of meat products, especially samples that have greater difference in CL, otherwise the conclusion obtained is perhaps not reasonable.