Effect of Reduction and Replacement of Sodium Chloride on Rancidity Development in Raw and Cooked Ground Pork

Ground pork (raw and cooked) was treated with NaCl, KCl or MgCl₂ at ionic strengths of either 0.70 or 0.35, and stored at 4 or -20°C. Regardless of storage temperature, NaCl and MgCl₂ increased rancidity of both raw and cooked samples, whereas KCl increased rancidity of raw samples only. In raw pork samples, NaCl increased rancidity the most. In cooked samples, MgCl₂ increased rancidity more than NaCl when samples were stored at 4°C, but the opposite was true for samples stored at -20°C. Discoloration was most severe for raw, frozen samples treated with NaCl. Replacement of NaCl with KCl was most effective for decreasing rancidity in both raw and cooked samples.