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

The effects of partial substitution of NaCl using chloride salt (KCl, MgCl2, and CaCl2) 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 MgCl2 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 MgCl2 exhibited superior qualifies due to its compact pore structure. Thus, that NaCl was partially substituted by KCl and MgCl2 at a lower substituted ratio (25%) is promising to improve the functional properties of low-sodium MP gel products.