Phosphate Elimination in Emulsified Meat Products: Impact of Protein-Based Ingredients on Quality Characteristics

The addition of phosphates to meat products improves the emulsifying and gelling properties of meat proteins, in turn enhancing overall product quality. The current market trend towards additive-free products and the health issues related to phosphate challenge the industry to develop phosphate-free meat products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential of seven protein-based ingredients (pea, blood plasma, gelatin, soy, whey, egg, and potato) to remediate quality losses of emulsified meat products (cooked sausages) upon phosphate elimination. First, the intrinsic gelling and emulsifying characteristics of the proteins were assessed. Next, the proteins were added to phosphate-free sausages, of which quality characteristics during production (viscoelastic behavior and emulsion stability) and of the final products (texture, cooking loss, and pH) were screened. Blood plasma and soy were superior in phosphate-free cooked sausages, as no significant differences in hardness, cooking yield, or stability were found compared to phosphate-containing sausages. Egg and pea also improved the previously mentioned quality characteristics of phosphate-free sausages, although to a lesser extent. These insights could not entirely be explained based on the intrinsic gelling and emulsifying capacity of the respective proteins. This indicated the importance of a well-defined standardized meat matrix to determine the potential of alternative proteins in meat products.