OK to get back on topic.
NCPaul has asked me to collate and post his test results for a piece of meat calculated to Method 2 of the FDA Meat Inspectors' Handbook.
The Tests
He says, "I tested the brine every day for % NaCl and tested the brine on day 4 and 11 for % Water. I tested the meat for % NaCl at the beginning and calculated 1200 g of meat to have 2.04 g NaCl natural salt; this agreed with the nutritional analysis on the packaging. I tested the meat at the end (inside/outside) for % NaCl. I did weigh the meat at day 4 and 11 to get the weight gains. By knowing what was in the brine and what weight was lost, I could deduce what was in the meat by mass balance...
...I corrected the brine amounts for the removal of samples (which changed the amount of brine and what was in the brine) ... ...It's a small effect on the overall experiment and needlessly complicating.
I think the final mass balance was slightly off because I didn't take out exactly 2 gram samples every time and because some soluble proteins had leached into the brine. I wasn't very far off so I made it balance by adjusting the sugar."
The Brine
It should be noted that this brine was for test purposes only and that the level of Nitrite is above the levels set by the FDA.
The FDA Calculations
The Salt in the Brine and Meat
This table has been calculated on the starting weight of the brine. It is uncompensated for the weight of samples removed for testing. However it gives a general view of the movement of salt between the brine and meat.
...and the calculation for day 11 based on the final brine weight:
The Results using calculations based on the behaviour of the salt
The Meat
The figures in the last two rows of this chart were obtained by testing the meat.
Note:
I will attempt to rework the salt transfer figures to reflect the changing level of brine due to test samples. I may be gone some time!
My thanks to NCPaul for carrying out these tests.
Phil