|
Ingredient/Additive |
E-numbers and
class name |
Qualities/Description
|
Salt
Table salt (NaCl)
|
|
- activates meat protein: Increase of protein swelling and solubility --> stable water retention
- gives flavour
- has a bacteriostatic or bactericidal effect, depending on concentration
|
Preservative
Nitrite
|
E250, preservative
(Addition as nitrite curing salt only) |
- provides curing colour
- gives the typical curing flavour to the meat product
- has a preserving effect --> inhibits bacteria and, when combined with heat, inhibits the germination of bacterial spores
|
Redening agent
Ascorbic acid
Ascorbate
Isoascorbic acid/
Isoascorbate
|
E300, antioxidant
E301, antioxidant
E315/E316, antioxidant |
- due to their reducing effect, these accelerate the reddening process between nitrite and myoglobin
- optimal usage of nitrite --> low rest nitrite content
- colour stability in ready cooked ham --> stable cured red and attractive meat red colour
|
Phosphates and citrates for binding
Diphosphate
Triphosphate
Polyphosphate
Citrate
|
E450, stabilizer
E451, stabilizer
E452, stabilizer
E331-E333,acidity regulator
|
- increase water retention by loosening the muscle fibre structure --> stable protein structure in finisched product
|
Sugars
Dextrose, Saccharose etc.
|
|
- taste
- improved surface
- drier product (e.g. vacuum packaging)
|
Thickeners*
Carrageenan*
Xanthan*
|
E407, thickening agent
E415, thickening agent |
- reduces cooking losses by stable water binding --> juicy mouthfeeling
- good cohesion of muscle sections --> good sliceability, higher stability of end product
- high water binding capacity with low dosage
Synergies between thickening agents are used to
- reduce syneresis (contracting of the gel structure, which squeezes water out)
- achieve the best possible meat-like consistency
- achieve a higher gel strength than individual thickening agents
- reduce dripping from vacuum packaging that may occur during long storage periods
|
Starch*
- native starch* (potato, corn, wheat, starch)
- modified starch*
|
Starch
E1420 (Acetylated starch), mod. starch
| - stable water binding
- drier surface
- reduce dripping from vacuum packaging
- according to type of starch: different swelling property, different temperature reactions
- only partically injectable
|
Preserving agents
Acetate
Lactate
|
E262, acidity regulator
E325, acidity regulator |
|
Proteins vegetable/animal*
(e.g. Soy protein, wheat protein, milk protein, collagenes)
|
|
- water binding --> consistency and structure
- higher protein content in end product
- higher nutritional value in end product
- drier surface
- reduce dripping from vacuum packaging
|
Flavour-giving additives and ingredients
Flavour enhancer (e.g. monosodium glutamate E621)
Spices
Spice extracts
Hydrolyzed vegetable protein (protein hydrolysate)
Yeast extracts
Flavours
|
E620-625, Flavour enhancer
|
- provide a well-balanced, very meaty flavour
- balanced taste, even when meat quality and ingredients change
|
