Effect of different freeze drying cycle in Semimembranous and Gluteus Medius bovine muscles for instant meal applying image analysis technique.

PIENIAZEK FACUNDO; MESSINA VALERIA

Congreso; IUFOST 2016; 2016

Today?s food industry and retailers are trying to address the growing demand for convenience by considerable expansion of pre-prepared meal solutions, such as ready to eat meals. As consumers increase consumption of ready to eat meals more emphasis is necessary to be placed on how to maintain quality and to develop new and faster technologies for quality control. An interesting alternative for analyzing the surface of food products and quantifying appearance characteristics is to use computerized image analysis techniques. The aim of the present research was to evaluate effects on different freezing drying cycle in Semimembranous and Gluteus Medius bovine muscles for instant meal applying image analysis techniques for texture and colour parameters. Samples were cooked and then freezed dried at different cycles (-40, -50 and -60°C/12 h; dried at 40°C/48 h). Microstructure was analyzed by Scanning Electron Microscopy; Texture and colour were analyzed by image analysis and physicochemical properties by instrumental assays. Micrographs revealed that a higher porous size structure and shrinkage of muscle fiber diameter was obtained at -40°C in both muscles. In Semimembranous and Gluteus Medius muscles significant difference (P