Green Processing Technology of Meat and Meat Products: 3rd Edition

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Meat".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 2116

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Food and Health, Beijing Technology and Business University, Beijing 10048, China
Interests: meat; meat science; meat processing; green technologies; meat flavor; safety of meat products; nutrition of meat products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor
College of Food and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, China
Interests: meat; meat science; meat processing; green technologies; meat flavor; safety of meat products; nutrition of meat products
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Despite increasing consumer demands for high-quality meat, some products manufactured through traditional processing methods are often perceived as unhealthy or hazardous due to significant amounts of sodium chloride, the excessive accumulation of harmful substances, or the abnormal growth of spoilage microorganisms. Green technologies aimed at decreasing or preventing the formation of hazardous substances while increasing the shelf life and maintaining the sensory attributes and nutritional quality of meat products are highly recommended during the dry-curing, deep-frying, smoking, roasting, braising, and preserving stages, among others. This Special Issue aims to gain more insights into recent achievements in the processing and manufacturing of meat products via green technologies. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  1. Chemical and biochemical composition and structural changes in molecules during the processing of meat products;
  2. Chemistry related to major and minor components of meat products and their nutritional, physiological, sensory, flavor, and microbiological aspects;
  3. Application of food-omics, including proteomics, metabolomics and sensory omics, to understand the mechanism of meat product quality development.

Prof. Dr. Jinxuan Cao
Dr. Changyu Zhou
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • meat processing
  • green technologies
  • meat flavor
  • safety of meat products
  • nutrition of meat products

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1191 KiB  
Article
Formation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on Grilled Pork Neck Loins as Affected by Different Marinades and Grill Types
by Marta Ciecierska, Urszula Komorowska, Marcin Bryła and Marek Roszko
Foods 2025, 14(10), 1673; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101673 - 9 May 2025
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Abstract
Processing methods affect the quality and, most importantly, safety of meat. The effects of various marinades, a kind of green processing technology commonly used in Poland, on PAH contamination in pork neck loins, the most frequently grilled pork meat, were investigated, including universal, [...] Read more.
Processing methods affect the quality and, most importantly, safety of meat. The effects of various marinades, a kind of green processing technology commonly used in Poland, on PAH contamination in pork neck loins, the most frequently grilled pork meat, were investigated, including universal, pork, and honey mustard, as well as the most popular grilling tools. It is important to note that no such data have been published so far. Our previous study focused on poultry meat, another commonly grilled meat. PAH analysis was conducted using the QuEChERS–HPLC–FLD/DAD method and confirmed by the GC/MS method. Weight loss and changes in individual color parameters after grilling were also analyzed. Grilling on a charcoal grill without an aluminum tray caused statistically the greatest PAH contents. Some of these samples, according to Commission Regulation (EU) No. 915/2023 restrictions, should not be consumed by humans due to the high content of B[a]P (5.26–6.51 µg/kg). The lowest contamination levels overall were determined for the ceramic contact grill. Studies have also shown that the universal and pork marinades can reduce PAH contamination by about 24–29% for 4 heavy PAHs and by 31–32% for 15 PAHs, whereas the honey mustard marinade increases their accumulation in grilled products by 13% for 4 PAHs and 12% for 15 PAHs. Carefully choosing the grilling equipment, such as using electric grills instead of charcoal or using aluminum trays when grilling with charcoal and marinating the meat before grilling, is essential for food producers and consumers. These practices can significantly reduce the harmful health effects of PAHs, making them vital steps toward safer food preparation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Processing Technology of Meat and Meat Products: 3rd Edition)
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16 pages, 8094 KiB  
Article
Insights into Microbial Community and Its Enzymatic Profiles in Commercial Dry-Aged Beef
by Yinchu Liu, Xiaoguang Gao, Mingwu Zang, Baozhong Sun, Songshan Zhang, Peng Xie and Xiaochang Liu
Foods 2025, 14(3), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14030529 - 6 Feb 2025
Viewed by 803
Abstract
Dry-aged beef has gained interest worldwide in recent years due to its improved sensory attributes. This enhancement is thought to be partially driven by microbial activities, particularly lipolysis and proteolysis. In this study, dry-aged beef manufactured by seven commercial producers in China was [...] Read more.
Dry-aged beef has gained interest worldwide in recent years due to its improved sensory attributes. This enhancement is thought to be partially driven by microbial activities, particularly lipolysis and proteolysis. In this study, dry-aged beef manufactured by seven commercial producers in China was analyzed. The pH value and total volatile base nitrogen value of dry-aged beef were determined. High-throughput amplicon sequencing of full-length 16S rRNA genes and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions was used to analyze the microbial community. A total of 207 proteolytic and lipolytic isolates were identified by sequencing 16S rRNA genes for bacteria and sequencing the D1/D2 region of 28S rRNA genes and the ITS region for fungi. The results revealed that the crust harbored greater numbers of bacteria and fungi than the interior. The bacterial community was dominated by Pseudomonas species, which were core members in both the crust and interior, while Brochothrix thermosphacta was identified as a core bacterium exclusively in the crust. The fungal community primarily constituted Candida sake, Kurtzmaniella species, and members of the phylum Chytridiomycota. Proteolytic and lipolytic isolates were mainly identified as Pseudomonas sp., B. thermosphacta, Carnobacterium maltaromaticum, Candida zeylanoides (teleomorph: Kurtzmaniella zeylanoides), C. sake, and Debaryomyces hansenii. Two strains of C. zeylanoides and C. sake exhibiting high proteolytic and lipolytic activities effectively hydrolyzed beef fat, myofibrillar protein, and sarcoplasmic protein. This study characterized the main microorganisms and their enzymatic functions associated with dry-aged beef, highlighting the need to explore their contributions to the sensory attributes of dry-aged beef. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Processing Technology of Meat and Meat Products: 3rd Edition)
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17 pages, 2687 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Evaluation of Nutritional, Physicochemical, and Volatile Profiles of Selected Bovine Head Muscles
by Qihan Liu, Anthony Pius Bassey, Ziyu Li, Guanghong Zhou, Xia Fan and Keping Ye
Foods 2024, 13(24), 4098; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13244098 - 18 Dec 2024
Viewed by 963
Abstract
This study analyzed the nutritional composition, physicochemical properties, and volatile profiles of three major bovine head muscles—medial pterygoid, masseter, and buccinator—to reduce byproduct resource waste and increase the utilization rate of bovine head to establish a foundation for its industrial use. Compared to [...] Read more.
This study analyzed the nutritional composition, physicochemical properties, and volatile profiles of three major bovine head muscles—medial pterygoid, masseter, and buccinator—to reduce byproduct resource waste and increase the utilization rate of bovine head to establish a foundation for its industrial use. Compared to tenderloin, which is popular among consumers, these head muscles were found to be rich in collagen (4.90–13.1 mg/g), low in fat (0.39–1.61%), and abundant in free amino acids (143.93–223.00 mg/100 g). Their compact fiber structures, with minimal gaps between myocytes, resulted in lower cooking and press losses, making them suitable for various production processes. Notably, the medial pterygoid and masseter muscles contained high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and lower saturated fatty acids (SFAs), with a PUFA/SFA ratio exceeding 0.45. The buccinator muscle, while containing more volatile organic compounds associated with undesirable odors and bitter amino acids, was not indicative of spoilage. Overall, this study confirmed that bovine head muscles possess high collagen, low fat, and diverse nutritional qualities, making them suitable as premium raw materials for value-added meat products, and their returns will be most economically equal to the meat derived from cattle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Green Processing Technology of Meat and Meat Products: 3rd Edition)
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