RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY TO STUDY THE EFFECTS OF PRESSURE LEVEL AND MILD TEMPERATURES ON PHYSICOCHEMICAL, COLOR AND TEXTURAL PROPERTIES OF SUPERFICIAL PECTORALIS BEEF MUSCLE

ERIC WILDER; ANTONELLA ANDREONE; CLAUDIO SANOW; ANA MARIA SANCHO; SERGIO R. VAUDAGNA; NATALIA SZERMAN

Workshop; IFT-EFFoST 2018 International Nonthermal Processing Workshop and Short course; 2018

Pressure assisted thermal processing (PATP) may be an alternative to conventional thermalprocessing for the manufacture of pasteurized ready-to-cook products, with the advantage ofless degradation of quality attributes. Moreover, these treatments could improve tenderness in meat cuts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of PATP at mild temperatures on physicochemical, color and textural properties of Superficial pectoralis beef muscle. A Doehlert experimental design with pressure level (100-500 MPa) and process temperature (30-70 °C) as main factors was applied. Meat samples were cut (30x20x100 mm) and vacuum-packed, pre-heated in a water-bath, and submitted to PATP. Samples were analyzed after 48h at 1.5±1.0 ºC and after cooking (72 °C -2 min at the cold spot).The pH values of raw PATP-treated and unprocessed meat increased as pressure level andtemperature increased. No differences were observed for temperatures and pressure levelabove 50 °C and 300 MPa, respectively. The highest total yields were obtained fortemperatures and pressure levels lower than 50 °C and 300 MPa, respectively (TY=71.4+1.1P- 3.6T+3.1PxT). Expressible moisture values had a slight increase with the increase of pressure level at intermediate temperatures (50 °C). L* parameter values increased when temperature and pressure level increased, having maximum values at 500 MPa and temperatures above 50 °C. The increase of temperature and pressure level diminished a* parameter values, with a maximum at 100 MPa-30 °C. This behavior was also observed in cooked samples. Hardness values were lower at intermediate temperatures (50 °C) and pressure level 500 MPa (H=39.2? 3.9P+2.3T+6.1T2). Chewiness presented the lowest values at 70 °C and 500 MPa; however it was observed that lower values could be obtained also at 30 °C and 100 MPa (Chew=8.5-1.3P- 27PxT).To conclude, a treatment at 50 °C-300 MPa would achieve a product with maximum yield,improved texture characteristics and with slight modifications in the chromatic parameters.Increasing the pressure level would improve texture, to the detriment of the chromaticparameters and yield.