Costco members expect their $4.99 Kirkland seasoned rotisserie chicken that’s been sitting under a heat lamp in the store to be juicy when they reheat it at home. If there are leftovers for chicken salad, the meat should cube easily and be moist to the bite. Dried shreds are unacceptable. That’s why the uncooked whole birds are marinaded with a water and seasoning blend of salt, sodium phosphate, modified food starch, dextrin, carrageenan, sugar, dextrose, and yes, there are spices. Spice extractives are the final ingredient. Managing moisture is paramount in fully cooked meat and poultry products.
Moisture management technologies help processors extend product shelf life while ensuring food safety. By reducing the food waste that results from microbial spoilage and product deterioration, brands and retailers improve margins, and do not need to pass extra production and distribution costs onto the consumer. Consumers, in turn, can better budget their food dollar. They can spend a little more for the convenience they crave.
Shoppers who are willing to pay for convenience, expect products to provide a desirable eating experience. Value-added formats provide today’s consumers with an affordable luxury, one for which they are willing to dig a little deeper into their pocketbooks. This is why managing moisture is so important.
Managing moisture
It’s all about locking in meat’s natural juices, which include water and fat. It also involves adding moisture to help with product flavor and texture.
“Moisture enhancement of meat and poultry products enables processors to increase juiciness and help reduce drying out from overcooking by the consumers or foodservice establishments,” said Willy Nunez, design director for culinary, IFF, New Century, Kan. “Moisture enhancement is also used to introduce flavors and deploy food protection technologies, such as antimicrobials and antioxidants, all while achieving yield targets.”
“In some cases, greater amounts of water in combination with functional ingredients might be added to meat and poultry products to achieve a lower price point for market competitiveness,” Nunez said.
With consumers needing convenient protein solutions, along with craving flavors from around the world, the number and variety of fully cooked heat-and-eat meats in retailers’ refrigerated and frozen departments continues to grow. Many of the refrigerated products rely on sous vide technology, where the seasoned meat is vacuum sealed in a plastic bag, which is placed in a hot water bath and brought to a microbiologically safe temperature of 165°F. This process seals in juices until the package is opened by the consumer. Even these products, however, require ingredients to assist with binding the moisture inside the meat to keep it succulent when it’s time to eat.
Frozen products have additional considerations. Not only must fully cooked products, such as meatballs and breaded nuggets, remain juicy and tender, these products cannot become freezer burned or dry out when warmed. There are multiple strategies to address these issues.
“Freezer burn occurs when water molecules migrate to the surface of the food and evaporate, leading to dehydration and oxidation,” said Jim Chapa, senior associate, global applications team, Ingredion Inc., Westchester, Ill. “Freeze-thaw cycles, such as what occurs in household freezers, accelerates these unfortunate changes. Product developers can help prevent freezer burn through application of the right functional ingredients and packaging technologies.”
Nunez added, “Ingredients can help reduce ice crystal formation and subsequent quality deterioration; however, processing and packaging technologies are also critical to deploy effective strategies in the development of frozen, fully cooked heat-and-serve product.”
Applying a glaze to the meat prior to freezing can be a flavorful strategy, according to Zak Otto, director of research and development at Wixon, St. Francis, Wis. It performs as a barrier assisting in moisture loss.
“It will also conceal [the inevitable] freezer burn that develops,” said Otto. “It does this while adding a moisture component and flavor.” Think of a hot honey glaze on frozen meatballs.
Fully cooked deli-style meats — those that are pre-packaged as well as sliced to order at the deli counter — must remain succulent and juicy but not look wet. Too dry of a product will impact sliceability, as will surface moisture. Excessive surface moisture is an invitation to microbial growth and makes the product look slimy, suggesting it is spoiled.
“To improve juiciness and succulence of deli-style meat, functional ingredients are incorporated via injection, tumbling or blending,” said Khamfa Phonchareon, principal designer, culinary at IFF. “This requires careful selection of compatible raw materials, ingredient technologies and processing parameters to optimize meat formulations and enable proper hydration, dispersion and activation of meat and non-meat ingredients that impact texture, water-holding capacity and control syneresis during the product shelf life.”
Meat emulsions, such as bologna, require adequate emulsification of lipids, water and meat proteins. This will vary when the emulsion contains different species.
“Lean meats, with a higher water content, are less absorbent,” said Ron Ratz, senior vice president, Wixon. “Fatty meats, with less natural moisture, can readily absorb additional water.”
Fat content influences succulence. This is why plant-based meats are moisture challenged and a barrier to consumer acceptance.
“When consuming plant-based meats, consumers generally expect the plant-based alternatives to mimic traditional meat as closely as possible,” said Megan Brazil, scientist, AAK USA Inc., Edison, NJ. “Plant-based fats and oils account for up to 20% of the total fat content of plant-based meat products and contribute to overall moisture enhancement, which is perceived during consumption as juiciness.”
Plant-based solutions that mirror the physiochemical properties of animal fats are important. If an insufficient amount of fat is used, the product can taste dry or be crumbly. If too much fat is used, the product will be too greasy.
“Our portfolio offers a variety of single oil solutions, as well as blends that utilize palm, coconut, sunflower, safflower and shea,” Brazil said. “Solutions with higher solids produce a more greasy and satiating bite and solutions with lower solids help provide cohesion and lubrication.”
Source: Greenridge NaturalsExplore the technology toolbox
The beauty of fully cooked meats is that they are ready to eat. The downside is that cooking dries them out, and losing moisture progresses over time.
“Meat products that lose considerable moisture during thermal processing can benefit from a moisture retention system added to the raw product,” Ratz said. “Liquid systems containing salt, water, and at times, sodium phosphate, will enhance the juiciness of the product, helping to foster a tender texture that also significantly improves the eating experience.”
Sodium phosphate, a chelating agent, plays an important role in moisture retention in meat. It helps stabilize the meat structure and ensures a consistent product. The phosphate solution is prepared by dissolving it in water and then either injecting or tumbling it with the meat.
“Traditionally water-binding agents, such as phosphates, salt, starches and hydrocolloids (e.g. carrageenan, xanthan gum, etc.) have been used to increase moisture retention,” Chapa said. “Clean-label alternatives to phosphates and modified starches include citrus fiber and functional native starches. Plant-based proteins such as soy protein isolates and concentrates are also commonly used, while pea or faba proteins can achieve similar performance without adding an allergen.”
Native starches are simply declared by starch source, e.g. “corn starch” or “potato starch.” Functionality varies by amylose to amylopectin ratios, as well as how the starch was produced.
“Key considerations in the selection of the best starch for a specific meat application include manufacturing processes and product performance criteria, such as what texture is desired and whether the product will be stored at ambient, refrigerated or frozen,” Chapa said. “Some starches gelatinize and trap water at exactly the same temperature range that meat proteins start to denature and lose their water-holding capacity, whereas others gelatinize at higher temperatures and are more resistant to thermal breakdown, making them excellent for retort applications.”
Deli meats have unique needs. They are usually intended to build a sandwich. They must slice and not make the bread soggy.
“Lactate can help sliced ready-to-eat meat products remain juicy without an overly wet surface,” said Garrett McCoy, senior manager, research, development and applications, Corbion, Lenexa, Kan. “Lactate, whether sodium or potassium, allows for a shift in the isoelectric point of the meat system. This shift in the isoelectric point results in the swelling of myofibrillar proteins, thus binding water during thermal processing.”
Stabil Nutrition, St. Louis, offers a 100% stabilized rice bran ingredient that functions as a binder in comminuted meat and poultry products. It is derived from a sustainable source, is minimally processed, is free of all major allergens and is not derived from a genetically derived crop.
“Rice has good water-binding and oil absorption properties that enhance cook yield and reduce purge,” said Robert Smith, vice president, research and development. “It is declared on the packaging as ‘rice bran.’”
Different species respond to moisture enhancement based on their fat content and texture. The leaner the meats, the more important it is to maintain juiciness.
“Poultry tends to be lean, particularly cuts like chicken breasts, which are prone to drying out,” said Amr Shaheed, technical service manager, food applications, Innophos, Cranbury, NJ. “Brines and marinades are commonly used to add moisture and tenderize the meat. Phosphate-based moisture enhancement is also effective in retaining juiciness during cooking, as poultry has a natural tendency to lose water.
“Pork is another meat where moisture enhancement is key,” said Shaheed. “Marinades or brines containing phosphates, salt and sugar help retain moisture and improve tenderness. Pork may benefit from the addition of flavor-rich liquids like apple juice or broths in the brining process.”
Beef tends to retain moisture better than poultry. But again, the leaner the beef, the greater chance of it drying out.
“Some processors may use broths or stocks in brines to maintain the natural beef flavor while adding moisture,” said Shaheed.
Kemin Food Technologies, Des Moines, Iowa, offers a patented functional myofibrillar-based dry protein product that helps improve moisture by solubilizing the proteins. This allows them to hold more water, improving overall moisture retention and product yield.
“This functional protein typically does not require a label declaration in most processed meat and poultry applications,” said Michael Cropp, technical service manager, Kemin.
For breaded or battered fried applications, Kemin offers a vegetable-based protein that improves breading adhesion and reduces oil uptake in fried foods. This, in turn, increases moisture retention by not having the moisture replaced with oil.
Process and package matters
Processing techniques make an impact on moisture retention. Packaging does, too.
“Injection of whole cuts allows for getting marination into the muscle, whereas tumbling alone relies on absorption into muscle,” Cropp said.
Packaging type is often overlooked but plays a key role in maintaining product juiciness. A tight package helps keep moisture from migrating out of product.
“Since beef, pork and poultry fats have different average levels of fatty acid saturation and melting points, the target final chop temperature that results in optimized lipid droplet size and protein extraction — while avoiding excessive lipid surface area — is different for each species,” Chapa added. 
