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Conventional and Emerging Technologies for Meat Processing
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Conventional and Emerging Technologies for Meat Processing

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

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 January 2026 | Viewed by 2312

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Javier Telis-Romero

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Food Engineering and Technology, Campus São José do Rio Preto, Institute of Biosciences, Humanities and Exacts Sciences—IBILCE, São Paulo State University—UNESP, Cristovão Colombo St. 2265, São José do Rio Preto 15.054-000 , São Paulo, Brazil
Interests: emerging technologies; salted meat products; ultrasound; heat and mass transfer; water activity; mathematical modeling; salt diffusion
Dr. Marcio Augusto Ribeiro Sanches

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Food Engineering and Technology, Campus São José do Rio Preto, Institute of Biosciences, Humanities and Exacts Sciences—IBILCE, São Paulo State University—UNESP, Cristovão Colombo St. 2265, São José do Rio Preto 15.054-000, São Paulo, Brazil
Interests: meat science; meat processing; emerging technologies; food process engineering; mass transfer; water activity; technological properties

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Meat processing has evolved significantly, combining traditional and emerging technologies to meet demands, optimize production, improve quality and ensure food safety. Among conventional technologies, salting and drying stand out, which dehydrate the meat and inhibit microorganisms; curing, marination and smoking, which improve sensory properties such as texture, color, flavor and aroma; and fermentation, which uses the controlled growth of selected microorganisms to modify texture, flavor and aroma, in addition to improving preservation. Refrigeration and freezing extend shelf life, while pasteurization and sterilization eliminate pathogens, making products safe to eat. Despite the importance of traditional methods, technological innovations offer new opportunities to increase the efficiency, sustainability and quality of the sector. Emerging technologies include vacuum impregnation, high-pressure processing, power ultrasound, pulsed electric fields, microwaves and ohmic heating, which are revolutionizing meat processing. The future of meat processing will depend on the ability to effectively integrate these approaches, utilizing both traditional methods and emerging technologies to address challenges and seize opportunities, thereby meeting the growing demands of an evolving global population. This Special Issue aims to present recent developments in conventional and emerging meat processing technologies, highlighting innovations that improve processing, safety and quality.

Prof. Dr. Javier Telis-Romero
Guest Editor

Dr. Marcio Augusto Ribeiro Sanches
Guest Editor Assistant

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Foods is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • meat processing
  • unconventional technologies
  • vacuum impregnation
  • power ultrasound
  • high-pressure processing
  • pulsed electric fields
  • process optimization
  • process engineering
  • technological properties

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

18 pages, 1054 KiB  
Article
Dry-Cured Bísaro Ham: Differences in Physicochemical Characteristics, Fatty Acid Profile and Volatile Compounds Between Muscles
by Lia Vasconcelos, Luís G. Dias, Ana Leite, José M. Lorenzo, Alfredo Teixeira, Sandra S. Q. Rodrigues and Javier Mateo
Foods 2025, 14(14), 2474; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14142474 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 476
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in the physicochemical characteristics, fatty acid profiles and volatile compounds of different muscle types (semimembranosus (SM), biceps femoris (BF) and semitendinosus (ST)) used to produce dry-cured Bísaro ham. Sixteen dry-cured hams were used. [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to evaluate differences in the physicochemical characteristics, fatty acid profiles and volatile compounds of different muscle types (semimembranosus (SM), biceps femoris (BF) and semitendinosus (ST)) used to produce dry-cured Bísaro ham. Sixteen dry-cured hams were used. The physicochemical parameters were significantly affected by the muscle type, with the differences being mainly related to the different drying degrees and the intramuscular fat and collagen contents of the fresh muscles. Additionally, the type of muscle had a significant influence on the polyunsaturated fatty acids, such that the muscle with the highest fat content (ST) had the lowest PUFA content and vice versa. There were strong significant differences in the total content of volatile compounds derived from the Strecker reaction, which was higher in the ST muscle, and in the proportions of these compounds with different functional groups. The amount of sulfur compounds was also affected by the muscle type and was higher in the SM muscle. Due to the great impact of Strecker-derived and sulfur compounds on the flavor of the cured hams, these differences would affect the flavor perception of the different muscles. The variability between muscles in composition, fatty acids and volatile compounds allowed for discrimination of the samples by muscle type using multivariate analysis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conventional and Emerging Technologies for Meat Processing)
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21 pages, 610 KiB  
Article
Physicochemical Properties and Volatile Profile of Chito: A Traditional Dry-Cured Goat Meat Product
by Luz Hermila Villalobos-Delgado, Yaneisy Y. Martínez-Martínez, Guadalupe Virginia Nevárez-Moorillón, Joaquín T. Santiago-Castro, Sergio Soto-Simental, Carlos Ignacio Juárez-Palomo and Paula Cecilia Guadarrama-Mendoza
Foods 2025, 14(13), 2341; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14132341 - 1 Jul 2025
Viewed by 675
Abstract
Two types of chito were evaluated: non-pressed (NP, immediate consumption) and pressed (P, for sale). The characteristics were analysed in samples of three years (2021–2023). The pH, water activity (aw), proximate composition, heme iron, sodium chloride (NaCl), water soluble nitrogen (WSN), [...] Read more.
Two types of chito were evaluated: non-pressed (NP, immediate consumption) and pressed (P, for sale). The characteristics were analysed in samples of three years (2021–2023). The pH, water activity (aw), proximate composition, heme iron, sodium chloride (NaCl), water soluble nitrogen (WSN), color, metmyoglobin (MMb), texture, lipid oxidation (Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, TBARS), and microbiological analysis were evaluated, while volatile compounds were identified in NP and P. The aw value showed a mean value of 0.70 in NP and P, values reported for typical commercial dried meat samples. However, P showed higher pH values (5.65–5.75), as well as a high level of fat (6.44–15.03%), NaCl (10.93–11.21%), lipid oxidation (3.88–6.32 mg MDA/kg meat), and hardness (223.67–574.01 N), with a browner color than NP, whereas microbial counts were similar between NP and P. Typical breakdown products derived from lipid oxidation were the main volatile compounds detected in chito, with aldehydes and alcohols being the most detected in P. The results suggest that some of the physicochemical characteristics, as well as the volatile profile, showed some differences between both types of chito, which suggests that there was a variation in the meat product associated with the making processes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conventional and Emerging Technologies for Meat Processing)
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15 pages, 2694 KiB  
Article
Stepwise Sous-Vide Cooking as a Novel Approach to Enhance the Water-Holding Capacity and Tenderness of Chicken Breast
by Sin-Woo Noh, Dong-Heon Song and Hyun-Wook Kim
Foods 2025, 14(10), 1708; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods14101708 - 12 May 2025
Viewed by 549
Abstract
Optimal sous-vide and multiphase cooking strategies remain underexplored despite their potential to improve the tenderness and juiciness of chicken breast. This study aimed to optimize sous-vide cooking conditions (Experiment I) and evaluate the effects of stepwise sous-vide cooking on the quality attributes (Experiment [...] Read more.
Optimal sous-vide and multiphase cooking strategies remain underexplored despite their potential to improve the tenderness and juiciness of chicken breast. This study aimed to optimize sous-vide cooking conditions (Experiment I) and evaluate the effects of stepwise sous-vide cooking on the quality attributes (Experiment II). In Experiment I, a two-factor, three-level central composite design was employed to optimize the temperature (50, 60, and 70 °C) and time (3, 4.5, and 6 h) using response surface methodology. The optimal condition (55 °C for 3 h) significantly reduced cooking loss (11.47%) and shear force (11.84 N). In Experiment II, five cooking conditions were compared: conventional control (75 °C/30 min), sous-vide control (55 °C/180 min), and three stepwise methods (Stepwise I, 45 °C/180 min + 55 °C/180 min; Stepwise II, 55 °C/180 min + 75 °C/8.5 min; and Stepwise III, 55 °C/180 min + 95 °C/3 min). Stepwise II and III increased cooking loss (16.4% and 20.5%, respectively) and reduced moisture (p < 0.05), but Stepwise II significantly decreased shear force (12.50 N), retaining moisture comparable to conventional control (17.35 N). Stepwise sous-vide cooking, particularly Stepwise II, appears promising for enhancing tenderness without causing excessive water loss. Further research should evaluate the sensory properties and microbiological safety for potential practical applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Conventional and Emerging Technologies for Meat Processing)
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