Fundamentals of Water Holding Capacity (WHC) of Meat

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   1. Objectives
   2. Learning goals
   3. Teacher page
2. List of Abbreviations used in this Learning Resource
3. Section I: Introduction and Significance of WHC
   1. What is WHC?
   2. Overview of Proteins, Fat, pH and Water and WHC
   3. Compartments for Holding Water in Meat
   4. Activity - Section I
4. Section II: Major Factors Affecting WHC
   1. Role of Animal Genetics and WHC
   2. Role of Pre-harvest Handling of Pigs on WHC
   3. Conversion of Muscle-to-Meat Issues and WHC
   4. Muscle Extensibility and Rigor Mortis
   5. Activity - Section II
5. Section III: Mechanism for Holding of Water in Pork
   1. Concepts for holding of Water in Meat
   2. How is Water Held in Meat?
   3. Graphic Representation of WHC and Important Concepts
   4. Examples of Extrinsic Factors Affecting WHC of Processed Meats
   5. Activity - Section III
6. Section IV: Fundamental Science of Water Holding Capacity
   1. Expanding the Knowledge of WHC
   2. The Assignment
   3. Activity - Section IV
7. Section V: Methods for Determining WHC
   1. Complexity of Measuring WHC
   2. What Moisture Categories of Water need to be Measured?
   3. Video: Great Visualization of four WHC Methods
   4. Methods for Measuring WHC of Meat
   5. Activity - Section V
8. Section VI: Recent Advances in Measuring & Monitoring WHC
   1. Need for Fast, Real-time, Non-destructive WHC Methods
   2. Potential Fast and Non-destructive Methods
   3. Activity - Section VI
9. Selected References related to WHC
10. References: Q-Pork Chain & Other Instrumental Methodology for WHC
11. Completion
    1. Comments
    2. Self assessment
    3. Evaluation
12. Acknowledgement

Activity - Section III

Self- or group-study questions: (Answers at the end)

1. True/False: Bound water is not usually lost from meat products.
2. True/False: If the meat pH is below the isoelectric pH, there will be no WHC..
3. The most desirable pH for WHC is meat at 5.0, 5.3 or 5.7 __________?
4. If sarcomere myofilaments have more negative electrostatic charges on sarcomere proteins, the spacing between the myofilaments will ____________ (increase or decrease).
5. Pre-rigor meat should have a ___________ (lower or higher) WHC than post-rigor meat.
6. True/False: Phosphates added to meat systems will increase the WHC due to their positive charges. .
7. True/False: Meat at a pH of 4.7 will have more WHC than meat at pH 5.2.
8. Salt can improve WHC because it causes the isoelectric pH to ____________ (increase or decrease) from normal?
9. Using the factors listed in the Fig. III-3, create several examples of how these factors interact to either increase or decrease WHC.