The effect of cryoprotectants during freezing or freeze drying upon properties of washed mechanically recovered broiler meat

Abstract Mechanically recovered meat (MRM) from broilers was washed three times with water and subjected to either slow or rapid freezing or freeze-drying with, or without, the presence of cryoprotectants. Both freezing and freeze-drying reduced the functionality of the MRM when no cryoprotectants were used. Sorbitol/sucrose showed some protection of gel forming ability of frozen samples whilst sorbitol/sucrose with tripolyphosphate gave stronger gels after freezing or freeze-drying than fresh samples. Most of the loss of functionality during freezing or freeze-drying was caused by loss of solubility of myosin and to a lesser extent actin. This was supported by DSC studies. The combined presence of sorbitol/sucrose/tripolyphosphate restored most functional properties of the frozen or freeze-dried material to that of the fresh material.