www.sausagemaking.org

As a meat additive, do people just use regular TSP cleaner? Unscented, of course?

I'm not sure that exists in that form over here over here, so I can't help, sorry.

I don't think I would use a product that made for cleaning laundry. here's a link to a sausage product, sodium triphosphate
http://store.theingredientstore.com/amesphos.aspx

Dan's right, tri sodium phosphate (TSP) is far too alkaline to use as a meat additive. The permitted phosphates are sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP), tetrasodium pyro phosphate (TSPP), and sodium hexametaphosphate (SHMP) or blends of these.

Odd hey? Apparently it's allowed in the EU. This is from the Health Canada website:

Two of the currently permitted phosphates, namely sodium acid pyrophosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate, are very similar to trisodium pyrophosphate in that trisodium pyrophosphate is chemically equivalent to a 50:50 mixture of sodium acid pyrophosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate. However, trisodium pyrophosphate itself is not currently a permitted food additive in Canada. Legal provisions exist for various technological purposes for a number of other phosphate salts in certain meat, poultry, and marine and freshwater animal products. Specifically, certain phosphate salts are permitted at a maximum level of use of 0.5% total added phosphate, calculated as sodium phosphate, dibasic, either singly or in certain combinations with other phosphate salts, in the following products: solid cut meat; prepared meat, prepared meat by-product; solid cut poultry meat; prepared poultry meat, prepared poultry meat by-product; cured pork, beef and lamb cuts prepared with the aid of pumping pickle; cured poultry or poultry meat prepared by means of injection or cover solution; frozen fish fillets, frozen minced fish, frozen lobster, frozen crab, frozen clam and frozen shrimp; and canned seafoods. Unstandardized foods, pumping pickle for the curing of pork, beef and lamb cuts, and injection or cover solution for the curing of poultry or poultry meat, are permitted to contain certain phosphate salts at levels consistent with GMP.

Trisodium pyrophosphate is different than trisodium phosphate (TSP) even though the names look similar. My best guess is that trisodium phosphate used for cleaning purposes would saponify the fat in meat applications and make it taste like soap.

What he said .... ^^^^

Whups see that now. Apparently TSP is legal in the States for cereals etc.

All hail alkali.

In general, you should always look for the grade of a chemical, assuming of coarse you've already established it is useable for your application, as there are many grades, some of which although the name may be the same may not be suitable for foods. Attached is one guide that explains the different grades. I always look for USP when buying food chemicals.

http://www.info.dent.nu.ac.th/chemistry ... gnosis.pdf