THE EFFECT OF VARIOUS LEVELS OF ADDED SODIUM CHLORIDE AND POTASSIUM CHLORIDE ON THE CHEMICAL, PHYSICAL AND SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF PRECOOKED, RECOMBINED BEEF CHUCK ROASTS

Commercial beef chuck tenders were processed into recombined roasts utilizing salt or Morton's® Lite Salt (43% NaCl, 57% KCl) according to treatment (100% salt, 70% salt—30% lite salt, 30% salt—70% lite salt or 100% lite salt). Roasts were cooked to an internal temperature of 68°C. Percentages of water and protein were relatively constant across treatments and as fat percentages increased (P < 0.05) so did caloric content. As the level of lite salt increased, the percentage extractable potassium also increased. Cooking loss was not affected by treatment. Treatment 1 (100% salt) was harder and less tender (P < 0.05) than the other treatments; while juiciness, flavor and overall palatability were not affected by treatment. Results of this study suggest the feasibility of substituting lite salt for salt in these types of value added, precooked products.