Effect of High Hydrostatic Pressure Treated Reduced-Sodium Chicken Gels with Calcium Chloride on the Growth and Digestive Characteristics of Mice

The in vivo digestion and absorption characteristics of reduced-sodium meat products are a problem that deserves attention in the field of meat science and technology. In this study, an animal model was used to investigate the in vivo digestive characteristics of high hydrostatic pressure treated reduced-sodium (1.25% NaCl) chicken gels. To replace casein in the AIN-93G rodent diet, four groups of reduced-sodium chicken gel were used: zero calcium chloride + 0.1 MPa treatment (group C), addition of 0.2% calcium chloride to comminuted chicken meat + 0.1 MPa treatment (group CA), zero calcium chloride + 200 MPa treatment for 10 min at 25 ℃ (group H) and addition of 0.2% calcium chloride + 200 MPa treatment for 10 min at 25 ℃ (group CH), and their effects on the digestion and growth characteristics of mice were evaluated. The results showed that after gastrointestinal digestion, the molecular mass and particle size of protein degradation products in digesta were higher in groups H and CH (P < 0.05) compared with groups C and CA indicating that 200 MPa treatment could decrease the digestion and degradation of protein. The levels of serum urea nitrogen in groups H and CH were significantly higher than those in groups C and CA (P < 0.05). The levels of total serum protein in groups CA and CH were significantly lower than those in group C (P < 0.05), and the mass of subcutaneous fat in group CH was also lower than that in group C (P < 0.05). These results implied that 200 MPa treatment combined with addition of 0.2% calcium chloride could synergistically reduce subcutaneous fat accumulation in mice, indicating the potential in improving the nutritional function of reduced-sodium meat products.