Effects of Different Chloride Salts and Fat Levels on the Quality Characteristics of Beef Patties

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different chloride salts (four formulation with NaCl, KCl, CaCl₂, and MgCl₂) at 2% w/w level on the pH, color, sensory, and cooking properties of beef patties formulated with two levels of tail fat (10% and 20%). The results indicated that the use of CaCl₂ and/or MgCl₂ resulted in a significant (P < 0.01) decrease in the pH values of both uncooked and cooked beef patties. The salt factor significantly influenced the a* value of uncooked beef patties (P < 0.05). It also affected the a* (P < 0.01) and b* (P < 0.01) values of cooked beef patties.. The highest L* value (P < 0.05) in uncooked beef patties was observed with 20% fat usage. Use of CaCl₂ and/or MgCl₂ in the salt formulation significantly affected the cooking yield, moisture retention (P < 0.01), patty diameter, and shrinkage parameters (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the fat factor significantly influenced all cooking properties at the P < 0.01 level, except for the decrease in thickness. Except for salinity and bitterness, the salt factor significantly influenced the sensory scores of the samples. The use of CaCl₂ and/or MgCl₂ in the salt mixture for beef patties resulted in lower sensory scores for the product's sensory parameters. In conclusions, KCl was found to produce satisfactory results as a substitute for NaCl. In contrast, it was concluded that CaCl₂ and/or MgCl₂ salts were not suitable substitutes for NaCl.