Partial substitution of NaCl with chloride salt mixtures: Impact on oxidative characteristics of meat myofibrillar protein and their rheological properties

Abstract The effects of partial substitution of NaCl using chloride salt (KCl, MgCl 2 , and CaCl 2 ) mixtures with different formulas on oxidative characteristics, physicochemical and gel properties of the pork meat myofibrillar protein (MP) were investigated. In a hydroxyl-radical-induced oxidative system, the mixtures of NaCl, KCl, and MgCl 2 increased the carbonyl content of MP in substitution degree of 25% and 50%; and all chloride salts mixtures raised MP's disulfide bond level. In addition, chloride salt mixtures significantly lower MP gel's storage modulus, water-holding capacity, and gel strength, especially at the substituted ratio of 50%, due to the more disorderly and aggregated structure were observed in MP gels. The MP gel containing 0.45 M NaCl, 0.075 KCl, and 0.025 M MgCl 2 exhibited superior qualities due to its compact pore structure. Thus, that NaCl was partially substituted by KCl and MgCl 2 at a lower substituted ratio (25%) is promising to improve the functional properties of low-sodium MP gel products.