Restructured steak
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Restructured steak is a catch-all term to describe a class of imitation beef steaks made from smaller pieces of beef fused together by a binding agent. Its development started from the 1970s. Restructured steak is sometimes made using cheaper cuts of beef such as the hind quarter or fore quarter of beef.[1]
Allowed food-grade agents include:
- Sodium chloride (table salt) and phosphate salts.[2] Salt can prevent microbiological growth and make myosin-type proteins more soluble. The allowed amount of phosphate in end products is 0.5% in the United States. It increases the emulsification of fat.
- Animal blood plasma
- Alginate: Sodium alginate forms an adhesive gel in the presence of Ca2+ ion.
- Transglutaminase: an enzyme that helps the forming of cross-binding proteins.
Problems
[edit]Oxidation and food poisoning are the two most serious issues generally associated with restructured steak. To reduce the risk of food poisoning, restructured steaks should always be cooked until well-done.
References
[edit]- ^ Toldr, F. (2010). Handbook of Meat Processing. Wiley. p. 399. ISBN 978-0-8138-2096-5. Retrieved 2017-07-03.
- ^ Kerry, J.P.; Kerry, J.F. (2011). Processed Meats: Improving Safety, Nutrition and Quality. Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition. Elsevier Science. p. 271. ISBN 978-0-85709-294-6. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
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