Replacement of Potato Starch with Sorghum Distiller Grains Improves the Quality Characteristics of Emulsified Pork Meatballs

Abstract

Taiwanese-style emulsified pork meatballs (EPM) (Kung-wan) are the most popular restructured ready-to-eat meat products in Taiwan. However, the quality of EPM is influenced by numerous factors, especially its nonmeat ingredients. Sorghum distillers grains (SDGs) are a byproduct of Taiwanese alcoholic liquor, kaoliang liquor brewing. SDGs have comprehensive nutrients and good processing properties. However, the application of SDGs in EPM has not been reported. For this purpose, we examined the quality of EPM containing SDGs in this study. EPM containing SDGs showed substantially higher hardness (2126.67 to 3515.50 gf), gumminess (1093.79 to 1532.19 gf), chewiness (395.43 to 501.16 mJf), and lower pH values (4.98 to 5.87) compared to those of control (1917.33 gf, 930.81 gf, 389.83 mJf, and 5.99) ( $p<0.05$ ); however, EPM did not affect springiness or cohesiveness. Additionally, the control EPM exhibited the highest water-holding capacity (WHC) (94.87%), which did not markedly differ from those of 20% and 40% SDGs ( $p>0.05$ ). The control EPM (0% SDGs) showed the lowest cooking loss (5.58%), water loss (3.67%), fat loss (1.31%), and $L$ (54.29), $a$ (4.23), and $b$ values (12.62), which substantially increased with increasing SDGs addition ratios (7.42 to 35.16%, 4.27 to 15.30%, 1.31 to 9.73%, 54.87 to 59.20, 4.26 to 5.67, and 13.81 to 18.51). Therefore, sorghum distiller’s grains can replace potato starch for emulsified meat products such as tribute balls, and produce high-quality products, and promote the added value of SDGs.