PROSPECTS OF USING THE CRYOSTABILISING PROTEIN-POLYSACCHARIDE COMPOSITION TO MANUFACTURE SEMI-FINISHED CHOPPED MEAT PRODUCTS

One of the technological ways of improving the quality of frozen semi-finished chopped meat products is the use of protein-polysaccharide mixtures in their composition. The mechanism of the cryoprotective action of these mixtures involves the formation of the amorphous structure of the product, decrease in the number of crystallisation centres, and reduction of water activity, which is especially important for long-stored meat products at sub-zero temperatures. For this purpose, a protein-polysaccharide composition has been developed. It consists of blood plasma proteins, sodium caseinate, and dietary fibres of flax and plantain (Plantago) in the ratio 1:1:2:2. The regularities of the effect of the selected composition on the physicochemical properties of model forcemeat systems have been established. It has been proved that this composition allows eliminating the disadvantages of low-functional meat raw materials in the semi-finished meat products and counteracting the negative effects of their long-term storage in the frozen state. It has been found that 3% of the composite cryoprotectant mixture decreases the cryoscopic temperature of forcemeat systems by 2.09-2.81 degrees C, reduces the mass fraction of frozen moisture by 1.7% and the water activity index by 0.031-0.067. The mathematical modelling and processing of the experimental data in the system of the mathematical package Mathcad 15 have allowed establishing that semi-finished chopped meat products with a mass fraction of the protein-polysaccharide composition contain up to 4% of frozen water when stored for up to 30 days at -10 degrees C. Besides, the chemical makeup and functional and technological properties of model forcemeat systems containing different amounts of the protein-polysaccharide composition have been studied to develop recommendations how to use it as a cryoprotectant. It has been proved that using 3% of the protein-polysaccharide composition is technologically practical, since it is an effective cryoprotectant of forcemeat systems during their low-temperature processing. The research results obtained allow purposefully forming and stabilising the required functional, technological, structural, mechanical, and sensory characteristics of the final product.