A novel meat quality improver composed of carrageenan and superfine smashed okra powder and its application in chicken meatballs

Abstract

The study investigated the effects of the addition of 0% (control group, CG), 0.25, 0.35, and 0.45% superfine smashed okra powder (SSOP) or carrageenan (CAR), and 0.25% SSOP – 0.35% CAR complex (OC) on the quality of chicken meatballs. Chicken meatballs fabricated with the SSOP-CAR complex showed better quality as compared to the other treatments. The lowest cooking loss was observed in the OC group, which corresponded to significantly decreased relaxation times of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) ( T ₂₁ and T ₂₂) ( P < 0.05). Compared to CG, The L* and a* values of chicken meatballs were significantly decreased due to the addition of SSOP ( P < 0.05), and the additions of SSOP and CAR significantly increased the storage modulus ( G′) and loss modulus of chicken meat batter upon heating ( P < 0.05). Besides, the OC and 0.45% CAR groups showed the highest texture profile values for hardness and chewiness ( P < 0.05). The sensory evaluation revealed that the chicken meatballs emulsified with the OC had the best overall acceptability. The results indicated that OC could be a great feasible and potential application in the meat industry, especially in the development of functional emulsified meat products.