Effects of Number of Washes and Salt Treatment on the Quality Characteristics of Protein Recovered from Alaska Pollock and Pork Leg

Abstract The aim of this study was to compare the effects of number of washes and salt addition on the meat quality in protein recovered from Alaska Pollock compared with pork leg. Various properties of protein recovered from Alaska Pollock (C, washed twice, no salt) and pork leg (T1, washed twice, no salt; T2, two washes, salt added; T3, washed four times, no salt; and T4, washed four times, salt added) were assessed in this study. Pork leg samples exhibited better color (more whiteness, less yellowness) than Alaska Pollock samples. In pork leg samples, four washes (T3, T4) during processing yielded whiter, less yellow protein than two washes (T1, T2). Overall, the textural property measures were higher in pork leg samples (T2, T3, and T4) than in other samples. Breaking force, jelly strength, and folding resistance were significantly higher in salt-treated pork leg samples (T2, T4) than in the other samples. Our findings demonstrate that protein recovered from pork leg has better color parameters, and physical strength compared with Alaska Pollock-derived protein. A higher number of wash steps and treatment with salt during processing were furthermore found to yield better color, and physical strength in the protein samples.