30C-3 |
Effect of hydrodynamic pressure processing on freeze-dried whole muscle semitendinosus |
A. G. SENECAL1, K. Racicot1, R. Segars2, B. Berry3, and M. Solomon3. (1) DoD Combat Feeding Program, U.S. Army SBCCOM (Natick Soldier Center), Kansas St., Natick, MA 01760, (2) Science & Technology Directorate, U.S. Army SBCCOM (Natick Soldier Center), (3) Meat Science Research Lab, USDA, ARS, Bldg. 201, BARC-East, Beltsville, MD 20705 Freeze dehydration is used by the military to preserve food in cases where refrigeration and frozen storage are unavailable. Freeze-dried meat has been shown to have poor water holding capacity and dry mouth-feel, which can adversely affect the textural and sensory properties of beef. A novel tenderization process based on hydrodynamic pressure processing (HDP) tenderizes meat by exposing it to a supersonic shock wave in water. Our objective was to determine whether HDP could improve the tenderness/textural properties on beef muscle during both freeze dehydration and subsequent storage. Whole beef muscle semitendinosus (ST) was divided into two groups. One group was subject to hydrodynamic pressure processing (HDP) in 115L disposable plastic containers while the second group was not. ST was sliced into 4 by 3 by ½ inch steaks, frozen, freeze-dehydrated and stored for 60 days at 37.8°C in oxygen impermeable pouches. Frozen non-dehydrated and dehydrated time zero samples were used as controls. Dehydrated steaks were rehydrated and cooked to an internal temperature of 62.8°C. Measurements for percent rehydration, cook loss and tenderness were obtained for each steak. Percent rehydration was 8.7% higher for HDP day zero controls and 9.9% higher for HDP stored samples. Percent cook loss was reduced by 2 to 4 % for all HDP samples. Texture measurements demonstrated significant improvements for the HDP frozen controls, day zero dehydrated and dehydrated stored samples. Reductions in shear stress were observed to be 26%, 34.6% and 21.8% respectively for the HDP treated steaks over the control. Characteristic spike deformation curves, which indicate the presence of connective tissue, were greatly reduced or absent in HDP samples. Results demonstrate that HDP can significantly improve the tenderization of freeze-dried ST meat products.
Session 30C, Muscle Foods: Tenderness, Quality, Processing, Marination, Oxidation, and Shelf-Life
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