Impact of High Pressure Processing on the Functional Aspects of Beef Muscle Injected with Salt and/or Sodium Phosphates

This study aimed to determine the interactions among salt ( NaCl ), sodium phosphate ( SP ) and mild high pressure processing ( HPP ) in brine‐injected beef. Beef strip loin segments were injected to 10% over initial weight with solutions containing water and various levels of salt (0, 2 or 4% of solution) and/or SP (0 or 4% of solution). Pieces from the loin sections were exposed to varying pressure levels (0.1, 152 or 303  MPa ) and evaluated for selected quality and biochemical characteristics. Use of SP and pressure application increased pH by ∼0.2 units. L * values were increased by pressure and decreased by SP . Redness ( a *) increased at 303  MPa . Purge increases due to pressure were mitigated by SP . Pressure application at 303  MPa reduced total and sarcoplasmic protein solubility by 24 and 32%, respectively. There were no beneficial interactions among salt or SP and HPP . However, results indicate SP may prevent yield loss due to HPP . Practical Application This study has demonstrated that beneficial interactions between HPP and salt are not achieved in brine‐injected whole muscle beef when salt levels are at or below 0.4% of final product weight. However, use of sodium phosphates prevented reduced yields and alleviated some of the color change incurred by HPP at mild pressures.