Performance of cold-set binding agents in re-formed beef steaks.

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Science
• Food Technology

Background:

• Reformed beef steaks offer a way to utilize lower-value meat cuts.
• Effective binding agents are crucial for the quality of reformed meat products.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare four cold-setting gel-forming binding agents for reformed beef steak production.
• To evaluate the impact of binders on the physical, chemical, and sensory properties of reformed steaks.

Main Methods:

• Four commercial binders (Activa, Fibrimex, Textor, alginate) were tested on beef muscles (M. triceps brachii-caput longum and M. pectoralis profundus).
• Reformed steaks were evaluated for binding strength, color (L*, a*, b* values), cooking yield, Warner-Bratzler shear force, and sensory acceptability by taste panels.

Main Results:

• Activa, Fibrimex, and Textor provided satisfactory binding, while alginate showed weak binding.
• Activa and Textor treatments resulted in lighter, redder, and yellower steaks.
• Sensory evaluation showed Activa and Fibrimex scored highest for overall acceptability in TB steaks, while Textor excelled in tenderness for PP steaks.

Conclusions:

• Activa binder demonstrated superior performance in terms of cohesion, appearance, cooking yield, and sensory quality.
• Activa facilitates the production of good-quality chilled reformed beef steaks from various low-value muscles.
• The use of Activa allows for production without the addition of sodium chloride.