Abstract
Comparing the effects of sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) concentrations of 0.2% and 0.4% on beef semitendinosus is the objective of the current investigation. The samples were cooked at varied temperatures (45+60°C and 45+70°C) and times (1.5+1.5 h and 3+3 h) using staged cooking. The colour properties, cooking loss, water retention, shear force, water-holding capacity, sarcoplasmic, and myofibrillar solubility, and total collagen were investigated. The cooking time and temperature affected the water-holding capacity, cooking loss, CIE L*, CIE a*, CIE b*, myofibrillar, and sarcoplasmic solubility, with lower temperature and short time having the lower detrimental effect. However, the significant effect can be intensified after the addition of STPP with higher water-holding capacity and tender meat obtained with 0.4% phosphate concentration at any cooking conditions. The STPP lowered the collagen content and increased the protein solubility of myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic, which this degradation is used as a good indicator of tenderness.