Effects of Inorganic Phosphates and Sodium Hydroxide on the Cooked Cured Color, pH and Emulsion Stability of Reduced‐Sodium and Conventional Meat Emulsions

Phosphates that increased meat emulsion stability the most also caused the highest decrease in cured color development. The addition of 0.125% sodium hydroxide also reduced cured color development. Holding uncooked emulsions, containing either sodium tripolyphosphate or tetrasodium pyrophosphate, up to 60 min after emulsion preparation plus adding tetrasodium pyrophosphate later in the emulsification procedure improved cured color development upon cooking. In both cases, cooked pH increased as cured color improved, and emulsion stability declined. This suggested that phosphate effects other than, or in addition to, pH were involved in cured color development and emulsion stability.