Functional, sensory, and microbiological properties of restructured beef and emu steaks

Beef and emu steaks were restructured with 5% fibrinogen/0.25% thrombin (F) , 0.5% algin/0.5% calcium lactate (A), or 0.5% phosphate/1.5% salt (P). P a nd A treatments had higher cooked binding strengths and cook yields than th e F treatments (P < 0.05). The pH and cook yields of restructured emu were higher than beef (P < 0.05). Binding strength of emu was lower than beef in all binding systems (P < 0.05). F solution had an aerobic plate count (APC ) of 39,000/g and increased the microbial count in restructured emu steaks from 940 to 7500/9 (P < 0.05), Cooking to 60 degrees C reduced APC to < 250 /g (P < 0.05) with progressively greater bacterial kill after cooking to 66 C or 75 degrees C.