Study on the mechanism of KCl replacement of NaCl on the water retention of salted pork

• NaCl replaced by KCl leads to oxidative degradation of proteins in salted pork. • The KCl leads to salted pork with higher water content. • The KCl results high pore levels in the salted pork with uniformity of the pore diameter. • There are good correlations between protein changes and NMR measures in salted pork. The reasons for the change in the water retention capability of salted pork caused by potassium chloride (KCl) instead of sodium chloride (NaCl) were investigated. Accompanied by the gradually increased substitution rate of KCl, the oxidative degradation of protein, water content, water activity (a w ), gap, as well as water loss in salted pork were increased, and the results showed significant differences ( p < 0.05). LF-NMR results indicated that NaCl was replaced by KCl, which can observably increased the mobility of water in the salted pork ( p < 0.05). All indexes showed excellent correlation. NaCl was replaced by KCl, which affected the water retention capability of salted pork, because K + promoted changes in the meat’s physicochemical properties. The KCl replacement group presented higher water content, while displayed lower water retention capability.