Improvement of muscle protein functionality in processed meats by magnesium and other divalent chloride salts

Concern over dietary fat in processed meats led to the passage of the '40 p er cent' rule in the United Slates. Substitution of NaCl, linked to hyperte nsion, with divalent chloride salts such as MgCl2 and CaCl2 has shown limit ed success. Early studies showed that these divalent salts had a deleteriou s effect on the functional properties of meat when used at product levels t hat resulted in high aqueous phase ionic strengths (0.4-0.6). However, our research focus has been to determine the utility of low levels (0.05 per ce nt) of MgCl2, CaCl2 and ZnCl2 in improving the functional properties of pro cessed meats. Effects of divalent salts have been evaluated in turkey breas t and thigh minces, beef model systems, and frankfurter formulations contai ning heart muscle. To determine if time postmortem affects muscle's respons e to divalent cations, salts were added to broiler thigh muscle in the earl y postmortem period. The important findings were (1) MgCl2 increased myosin solubility, (2) CaCl2 enhanced gel forming ability in cooked batters, and (3) ZnCl2 dramatically decreased myosin solubility in the absence of food-g rade phosphate (sodium tripolyphosphate).