Effect of kappa-carrageenan and guar gum as a substitute for inorganic polyphosphate on pork sausages

Abstract

Guar gum and kappa-carrageenan were investigated as a substitutes for phosphate in pork meat processing. Emulsion-type pork sausages were prepared in which 0.5% phosphate was used for the control, and either kappa-carrageenan or guar gum were added at levels of 0.1 or 0.5% for comparison. The hydrocolloid compounds significantly enhanced water holding capacity and cooking loss. However, hardness, cohesiveness, and chewiness were not well-maintained when compared to the control; this was attributable to the altered water distribution as well as enhanced water holding capacity of the sausages by the addition of kappa-carrageenan and guar gum. Furthermore, the phosphate-free sausages had similar storage stability as the phosphate-added sausage. Overall, the results suggest that kappa-carrageenan or guar gum can be used in place of phosphate in conventional processing to successfully prepare phosphate-free pork sausages.