Beef sausage structure affected by sodium chloride and potassium lactate

A histological and ultrastructural study was conducted to characterize changes in the muscle fibre structure of three fresh sausage preparations, depending on meat composition, sodium chloride (NaCl) and potassium lactate (K-lactate) contents. After addition of 0.8% and 1.6% NaCl, 65% and 51%, respectively, of the area observed showed well preserved fibres (histological data). The altered regions presented a large disorganization of the myofilaments and a solubilization of the sarcolemma and of the Z lines. K-lactate addition had no marked effects on meat structure. The preparation containing some sheep meat was more sensitive to salt than the others containing only bovine meat. The level of alteration was much lower than those obtained in pork meat in another study. Technological conditions used to modify the internal muscle fibre structure during sausage processing depend on the species used. Therefore, the classification of the sausage preparation to "meat preparation" or "meat product" under the EU regulation (EC) No. 853/2004 (which assign meat preparations to meat if the product has undergone a process insufficient to modify the internal muscle fibre structure of the meat) must be systematically controlled when changing the meat sausage composition.