Abstract: In order to reduce the phosphates in emulsified meat products, the development of efficient phosphate-free water retention agent has attached great importance in meat processing industry. In this study, on the basis of 0.2% (w/w) sodium hydrogen carbonate, sodium citrate was added at 0.1%, 0.15%, 0.2%, 0.25% and 0.3% (w/w) to combine with sodium hydrogen carbonate. This phosphate-free water retention agent was used to replace all phosphate in the production of emulsified meat products (taking frankfurters as an example). The results showed that the cooking loss, the released water and the released fat decreased significantly (P<0.05) with the increasing of sodium citrate addition. Moreover, the pH, lightness, redness, and chewiness of the products increased significantly (P<0.05) with the increasing of sodium citrate addition. And the results of hierarchical cluster analysis showed that sodium citrate combined with sodium hydrogen carbonate were available to replace all phosphates in frankfurters, in which adding 0.2% (w/w) sodium hydrogen carbonate combined with 0.15% (w/w) sodium citrate was the best. Based on previous studies, this paper mainly discussed a phosphate-free water retention agent in sodium citrate combined with sodium hydrogen carbonate for emulsified meat products, which would provide some potential options available to process emulsified meat products with reduced or removed phosphates.