Injection of beef strip loins with solutions containing sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium lactate, and sodium chloride to enhance palatability

Beef strip loins (46 U.S. Choice loins and 49 U.S. Select loins) were used to evaluate the potential for enhancing beef tenderness, juiciness, and fla vor by injecting fresh cuts with solutions containing sodium tripolyphospha te, sodium lactate, and sodium chloride. One half of each. loin served as a n untreated control, and the other half was injected with either distilled water (110% of raw weight) or a solution containing phosphate/lactate/chlor ide solution (107.5, 110, 112.5, or 115% of raw weight). All phosphate/lact ate/ chloride solutions were formulated to produce injected product concent rations of .25% sodium tripolyphosphate, .5% sodium chloride, and 2.5% sodi um lactate. Ten additional U.S. Select loins mere injected to 110% of raw w eight with a phosphate-only solution (final product concentration of .25% s odium tripolyphosphate) for comparison with Select loins injected to 110% w ith phosphate/lactate/chloride and with distilled water. Steaks from each c ontrol and treated loin section were cooked to two final internal temperatu res (66 degrees C and 77 degrees C) for sensory panel evaluation and shear force measurement. Injection of subprimal cuts with phosphate/lactate/chlor ide solutions improved tenderness (P < .05), juiciness (P < .05), and cooke d beef flavor (P < .10) of strip loin steaks and was especially effective f or maintaining tenderness and juiciness of steaks cooked to the higher fina l internal temperature. Injection of Select loins with a solution containin g only sodium tripolyphosphate was not effective for improving beef tendern ess or juiciness and tended to impart off-flavors characterized by sensory panelists as soapy and sour. Injection of fresh cuts with phosphate/lactate / chloride solutions could assist the beef industry's efforts to improve pr oduct quality and consistency.