Restructured steak
Restructured steak is a catch-all term to describe a class of beef steaks made from smaller pieces of beef fused together by a binding agent. Its development started from the 1970s. Allowed food-grade agents include:
- Sodium chloride (table salt) and phosphate salts. Salt can prevent microbiological growth and make myosin-type proteins more soluble. The allowed amount of phosphate in end products is 0.5% in the U.S.. It increases the emulsification of fat.
- Animal blood plasma
- Alginate: Sodium alginate forms a adhesive gel in the prescence of Ca2+ ion.
- Transglutaminase: an enzyme that helps the forming of cross-binding proteins.
Problems
Oxidation and food poisoning are two most serious issues generally associated with restructured steak.