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Functions of Meat Glue

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Transglutaminase also known as TG, in simplest terms is “meat glue”. It’s definition according to the USDA is, “an enzyme approved for use as a binder to form smaller cuts of meat into a larger serving of meat. It is a natural substance derived from fermented bacteria, a non-toxigenic and non-pathogenic strain of the organism Streptoverticillium mobaraense.” There are many functions of TG, some of them are; to make uniform portions, combine different proteins, bind ground meat and bind non meat products. To make uniform portions of beef tenderloin you take the tail end and lay it against the head of the second piece of tenderloin and apply TG inside and it will fuse together. You can also use this method with salmon filets that are uneven. Also you can use smaller pieces of meat or fish that would normally be too small to portion out and combine them together into a tube shape that can be easily sliced into even portions. Keep in mind you should only use two or three smaller pieces to create a larger piece so it will not change texture of the meat or fish as much. To combine different proteins that have similar cooking temperatures like bacon and scallops. To wrap the bacon around the scallop and have it stick you apply the TG to the scallop and wrap it with the bacon. Making a checkerboard pattern with fish is possible with this, you take strips of different types of complimentary fish with different colors so you can see the difference. Layer them in a checkerboard

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