Increase protein levels in tumbled, injected hams with hydrolyzed collagen

Protein is a popular ingredient (and nutrient) in foods these days: according to industry experts, more than three-quarters of consumers believe that when protein is added to a product, it is healthier. Additionally, consumers—particularly men and younger shoppers—attribute high-protein diets to multiple health benefits.

To help fulfill consumer’s desires for protein, as well as improve meat product quality, meat processors are turning to hydrolyzed pork collagen proteins. At Sonac, that’s our QBoost Pork Hydro-P Premium.

What is QBoost Pork Hydro-P Premium?

Hydro-P Premium is hydrolyzed pork collagen. Made from pork bones, the collagen is extracted from porcine bones, broken down into shorter peptides, and then dried into a powder

Hydro-P Premium works very well in both tumbled and injected pork products like ham. It’s added to ham for a few reasons:

1. Protein enrichment. Adding protein enhances the overall quality of a ham product: the nutritional values are superior and organoleptic properties are more desirable.
2. Enhance texture for better cooking and slicing yield. Hydro-P Premium does not bind water or fat because it is fully soluble in water. But within the meat matrix, it helps to build texture—and that gives tumbled and injected hams better sliceability and a meatier bite. When tested, hams with Hydro-P Premium had fewer cooking losses and yielded thinner slices.
3. Substitute carrageenan. Removing carrageenan is beneficial for product quality, texture, and total yield. But also, using Hydro-P Premium instead of carrageenan creates a friendlier product label, as carrageenan is an E number additive.

How to add hydrolyzed pork collagen to tumbled and injected hams

It’s incredibly simple to incorporate Hydro-P Premium into your pork product. In fact, how you produce a ham product doesn’t change. Simply add it into your brine solution along with salt and spices before injecting the ham. Plus, because the collagen is broken down into shorter peptides, Hydro-P Premium is completely soluble.

When Hydro-P Premium is incorporated into a ham product, it can be labeled in the ingredient list as “bouillon,” or “collagen.” Because both of these terms are recognizable, they’re considered clean and clear by consumers.

Increase protein levels in tumbled and injected ham

If you’d like to learn more about QBoost Pork Hydro-P Premium and how it can enhance your ham product, download our whitepaper "The benefits of hydrolyzed collagen for pork meat" here.

Or, try Hydro-P Premium yourself in your pork product. Simply connect with one of our product specialists here to secure a sample.