ABSTRACT
Starch-alginate coatings have been applied on precooked pork chops (Handley et al., 1996; Hargens-Madsen et al., 1995) and ground beef patties (Ma-Edmonds et al., 1995) to inhibit lipid oxidation and the formation of warmed-over flavor. However, the poor moisture barrier property of starch-alginate films hinders them from being used to control moisture loss in precooked meat products. When freestanding starch-alginate films were applied on precooked meat products in a previous study, moisture absorption and film swelling were observed on these films and the packaged meat became dry over time (unpublished data). Mechanical properties and other barrier properties can be lost upon the hydration of the swollen films. Incorporation of fatty acids into starch-alginate films, therefore, may provide hydrophobicity and increase film resistance to water transmission.
