Meat+Poultry - November 2022 - 57

" We have all experienced a dry burger that
was held for too long, one that could not hold
moisture, " said Janet Bourbon, culinary chef at
TNT Burgers, a foodservice division of Cargill,
Minneapolis. " With the increase in delivery
and pickup options, it's even more important
to make sure that products can stand up to
harsh environments.
" Using a blend of raw materials, our meat
scientists came up with the perfect fat-to-lean
ratio for just the right amount of flavor and
juiciness, " Bourbon said. " We use a proprietary
mix to create the perfect seasoning to enhance
the beef's natural taste and to guarantee
hold time. "
TNT Burgers are individually quick frozen
(IQF), which further assists with binding
moisture inside the patty. They can be
cooked from the frozen state to an internal
temperature of 165°F.
" One of the largest hurdles meat
manufacturers face is ensuring the quality
attributes of their products can withstand
abusive cooking techniques within foodservice
settings or at home, " said Courtney Schwartz,
marketing director, Kemin, Des Moines, Iowa.
" Moisture retention and yield enhancement of
proteins are essential to offering high-quality
products, leading to the brand's success. "
FORMULATION COMPLIANCE
The US Department of Agriculture regulates
the ingredients that may be used to manage
moisture in meat products; there's more
flexibility with vegan options. With the latter,
ingredients must be generally recognized as
safe (GRAS) or approved for use by the Food
and Drug Administration.
Some of these ingredients are known
as humectants. These are hygroscopic
compounds that bind moisture to keep
things moist.
" With meat patties, formulators typically
use textured soy concentrate or textured soy
flour, " said Melissa Machen, principal technical
account manager-protein ingredients, Cargill.
" While textured soy concentrate or textured
soy flour are often used in meatballs, they
may require additional extenders to help hold
moisture and fat.
" Breadcrumbs and cracker meal are
common inclusions that contribute to the
tender bite consumers expect. The ingredient
toolkit opens a little wider for dinner sausages
and hot dogs. "
Hydrocolloids, including various fibers,
gums and starches are all options. Salts,
phosphates and corn syrup solids are other
common ingredients that bind moisture,
reduce purge and extend yield.
" Some hydrocolloids create a gel matrix
to hold water in the product, " Machen said.
" Modified food starch holds water, too, but
here the starch granules swell and tie up water
within the meat matrix. "
Steven Gumeny, product manager, Beneo,
Parsippany, NJ, said, " Native waxy rice starch
is a trusted choice in poultry processing. In
formed products like chicken nuggets or
patties, this starch can significantly reduce
cook loss and provide a softer texture. The
naturally unique structure of rice starch
molecules also provides excellent freezethaw
stability. "
Some sugar alcohols function as
humectants. Glycerin, for example, assists with
maintaining a fatty, moist texture in jerky. By
binding moisture, water activity is lowered,
enabling the jerky to be held at ambient
temperature.
Sorbitol is another natural moisture
retaining ingredient. It is inherently present
at high levels in dried plum ingredients. Dried
plums are also a source of fiber, which further
contributes to moisture binding and holding.
And, dried plums contain malic acid, a natural
flavor potentiator to round out and enhance
savory flavors.
Bascom Maple Farms Inc., Alstead,
NH, offers maple syrup that may be used
for moisture enhancement. It also binds
ingredients and contributes flavor.
" Using maple syrup allows for the reduction
of other liquids that may be added for moisture
or as a binder, " said Cindy Finck, director of
bulk sales. " Maple syrup is used in pork and
chicken sausages and plant-based breakfast
sausage and savory patties. "
PUTTING PROTEIN TO WORK
Animal proteins are inherently large, highly
structured molecules. This prevents them from
interacting with water or other compounds in
a formulation. There are a range of ingredients
that may assist with tricking these large
proteins into assisting with holding moisture.
www.meatpoultry.com | 11.22 | MEAT+POULTRY
57
" The amount of
vegetable fats
and oils used
in plant-based
meats is key. If
an insufficient
amount of fat
is used, the
product can eat
dry or crumbly.
If too much fat
is used, the
product will
eat greasy. "
- MEGAN BRAZIL
http://www.meatpoultry.com
Meat+Poultry - November 2022

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