Evaluation of Clean Label Ingredients as Phosphate Alternatives in Enhanced Fresh Pork

The effects of 5 clean label phosphate-free brines on the color, texture, and sensory characteristics of boneless pork loins were evaluated during 21 d of refrigerated storage. On a meat weight basis, a control brine (SPH) contained salt (0.2%), sodium tripolyphosphate (0.3%), and potassium lactate (2.35%), while the phosphate-free brines all contained sodium bicarbonate (0.25%), potassium chloride (0.25%), yeast extract (0.25%), dried vinegar powder (0.30%), and acerola cherry powder (0.43%), in addition to 1% rice bran extract (RICE), 0.35% plum concentrate (PLUM), or 0.85% Proteus® (a commercial functional meat protein; PR13; PR18). One brine was made with no additional ingredients (INCL), and an uninjected pork loin treatment (UNIN) was included as a negative control. Injected loins were injected to 13% of meat weight, except PR18, which was injected to 18%. Loins were sliced into chops, packaged, stored at 2°C and analyzed for pH, color (CIE L*, a*, b*), and texture (Warner-Bratzler shear force [WBSF]) on days 0, 7, 14, and 21, and by a trained sensory panel on days 7, 14, and 21. The sensory panel found SPH, RICE, PLUM, and PR18 chops to be juicier than UNIN (P = .003), and RICE and PR18 chops to be more tender than UNIN (P = .005), with overall tenderness being greater on day 21 (P = .09). Pork flavor was greatest in RICE chops and lower in UNIN chops than RICE, PLUM, and PR18 chops (P = .001). WBSF values were not different between treatments (P = .189) but were lower on days 14 and 21 (P = .005). RICE chops were darker than all others, while UNIN chops were lighter than those from RICE, PLUM, PR13 and PR18 treatments (P < .001). INCL, RICE, PLUM, PR13, and PR18 chops were redder than SPH chops (P = .002). These results suggest that rice bran extract has the most potential among the ingredients evaluated to serve as a supplemental phosphate alternative in enhanced fresh pork loins and chops, particularly in combination with other clean label ingredients.