Effect of a beating process, as a means of reducing salt content in Chinese-style meatballs (kung-wan): A dynamic rheological and Raman spectroscopy study

- Beating process allowed for production of lower salt and higher quality products.
- Compared with chopping, beating improved emulsified stability.
- Beating resulted in better sensory evaluation than chopping.
- Beating could decrease the effect of denaturation of myosin tails.
- Beating changed the secondary structures, especially β-sheet and β-turns.

Chopping and beating processes were used as meat-cutting methods in preparing kung-wan to produce low-salt products while retaining or improving the emulsion stability, sensory evaluation, and physico-chemical properties of the standard high-salt formulation. Increased salt content improved emulsion stability and dynamic rheology. However, 3% salt content decreased the overall acceptance of kung-wan. Compared with the chopping process, beating resulted in higher emulsion stability, overall acceptance, and β-sheet content (P < 0.05). Additionally, the beating process formed more compact and continuous structures at the same salt content. Kung-wan produced by beating with 1% and 2% salt had similar emulsion stabilities, sensory evaluation, and secondary structures (P > 0.05). Therefore, this process allows reduction of salt content, suggesting that the kung-wan produced in this manner is healthier and has better texture.