Search Results (29)

The search for natural alternatives to sodium nitrite in meat products is driven by concerns about consumer health and the need to maintain product quality and safety. In this study, the effect of sodium nitrite reduction on the quality parameters of canned pork meat with 1% lyophilized cell-free supernatant (CFS) from L. paracasei B1, during 30 days of storage, was assessed. Reduction of sodium nitrite content led to measurable changes in the color, texture, and oxidative stability of canned pork; however, the presence of 1% CFS helped preserve color, alleviated the negative impact on textural parameters, and limited lipid oxidation, thereby counteracting the typical consequences of nitrite reduction. Among the tested variants, S_75, containing 75% of the standard nitrite dose, showed the best overall balance between color retention, textural integrity, and oxidative stability. Samples without nitrite (S_0) exhibited a noticeable increase in lightness (L*) and decrease in redness (a*) over time, accompanied by a shift towards yellow-brown hues (b*, C*, H°). Importantly, the total color difference (ΔE) was least pronounced in the S_75 variant, with values of approximately 2.5 after 1 day and 2.7 after 30 days, which was markedly lower than in S_50 (ΔE ≈ 6.0 and 3.9) and S_0 (ΔE ≈ 7.9 and 8.5), thereby confirming superior color retention and overall stability during storage. Texture analysis showed that initial hardness and chewiness were higher in nitrite-free samples (S_0), suggesting that the complete omission of nitrite may negatively affect product structure. Nevertheless, all variants softened during storage, and samples with higher nitrite content, particularly S_75, retained better elasticity and cohesiveness. Lipid oxidation, expressed as TBARS values, progressed fastest in samples completely depleted of nitrite (S_0), increasing from 0.31 mg MDA/kg (day 1) to 1.35 mg MDA/kg (day 30), which confirms the antioxidant role of sodium nitrite. Interestingly, the presence of 1% CFS in the variants with reduced nitrite content partially mitigated this effect, as TBARS values in S_75 increased only from 0.29 to 0.46 mg MDA/kg, and, in S_50, from 0.45 to 0.66 mg MDA/kg, compared to the nitrite-free variant. This suggests that CFS may also have contributed to antioxidant protection. Fatty acid profiles remained relatively consistent across methods. Microbiological analysis revealed no significant differences between groups. These results demonstrate that partial nitrite reduction combined with CFS is effective, highlighting the potential of CFS as a promising functional additive in clean label meat preservation. Furthermore, reducing the sodium nitrite content in canned pork products may contribute to improved consumer health by reducing exposure to potentially harmful nitrosamine precursors. Full article

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carcinogenic substances primarily formed through pyrolysis and oxidation of fat at high cooking temperatures, are commonly found at high levels in grilled meats. Reducing PAHs formation by incorporating natural antioxidants, such as through marination, has been demonstrated to be effective. However, the inhibitory effect of fresh phenolic-rich fruit powders on PAHs formation in charcoal-grilled meats remains unknown. To clarify the application of the fruit powders, 15 experimental groups were conducted. All pretreatment techniques (spraying, marinating, and mixing) were applied across all four freeze-dried fruit powders (lemon, guava, papaya, and mango). Each method was systematically tested with each fruit powder to evaluate its effect on inhibiting the formation of the four PAHs (BaA, CHR, BbF, and BaP) in charcoal-grilled pork belly and loin. Firstly, guava powder exhibited the highest phenolic content and antioxidant activity compared to the lemon, papaya, and mango powders (p < 0.05), among which the main phenolic compounds were ellagic acid, quercetin, and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Further, marination of pork belly with guava powder exhibited the highest inhibition rate of PAHs (94.8%), followed by lemon (91.1%), papaya (89.8%), and mango (89.0%), with a statistically significant difference at p < 0.05. The reduction in estimated daily intake (EDI) and the increase in the margin of exposure (MOE) indicate that consuming grilled meat treated with these fruit powders poses no safety concerns and may potentially reduce health risks. Finally, the sensory evaluation showed that marinating with guava powder did not perceptibly affect the sensory attributes of the meat. Overall, this study provides a potent strategy for inhibiting the formation of PAHs in meat during charcoal grilling by incorporating fruit powder while preserving sensory qualities. Full article

The aim of this study was to analyze the selected physical properties of vegetable bars coated with a coating based on pork gelatin (8% or 12%) with (25% or 50%) or without vegetable broth. The scope of work included developing the composition of edible coatings; preparing bars and coating freeze-dried vegetable bars; analyzing the water activity, dry matter content, the structure of vegetable bars based on microscopic analysis, and porosity; and then conducting a comparative analysis of the obtained results. The analyses show that the composition of the coating and the coating method influence the structure and selected physical properties of freeze-dried bars. Coating freeze-dried vegetable bars increases their water activity to the range of 0.215–0.389, and reduces their dry matter content to 93–96%. The porosity of the samples decreased (85–91%), but the use of coatings in the form of an edible film was more beneficial than immersing the dried material in a film-forming solution. The addition of vegetable broth to edible films improves the physical properties of the dried fruit and may additionally increase the taste of vegetable bars. Full article

With the world’s population continuing to grow, ensuring sustainable protein sources for everyone is becoming increasingly challenging. Despite meat being considered unsustainable, people find it challenging to abstain from consuming it. However, one solution to this dilemma could be the incorporation of mealworms into conventional meat products, i.e., sausages. The incorporation of mealworms into sausage formulations appears to shift the fatty acid profile towards higher levels of monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly omega-3s, potentially enhancing the nutritional value and offering health benefits. Therefore, our study aimed to improve the nutritional value and safety parameters of traditional sausages by enriching them with the flour of mealworm larvae. For this purpose, the larvae were reared on a sustainable substrate with brewery by-products, brewer’s yeast, and carrots. They were used frozen and freeze-dried in sausage recipes, replacing pork in different proportions. The analysis of the product’s chemical safety parameters (biogenic amines, nitrates and nitrites, volatile fatty acids (FA), and peroxide) and nutritional value (including collagen, cholesterol, amino acids, FA, and hydroxyproline) was carried out in an accredited laboratory. The results of our study have demonstrated that the incorporation of mealworms into sausages, particularly through freeze-drying, increased fat content and enhanced the profile of FA, including omega-3s while reducing protein and cholesterol levels, and altering collagen content, suggesting improved nutritional value and potential health benefits without compromising the safety of the product. Therefore, we are highlighting that the addition of mealworms influences the quality of amino acids positively and maintains biogenic amine levels within safe limits, alongside a negligible impact on nitrates and nitrites and a reduction in peroxide values. These findings indicate an overall improvement in sausage quality and safety without compromising safety. Full article

Fresh pork tenderloin was stored at −3 °C under different static magnetic fields (SMF) of 0, 4, and 10 mT (control, MF-4, and MF-10) to investigate their physicochemical properties changes during storage of 8 days. The initial equilibrium temperature of the samples stored with 4 mT MF was found to be −2.3 °C, which was slightly lower (0.3 °C) than that the control value. The super-chilling phenomenon on the pork was then observed, as the samples stored under the magnetic field did not freeze throughout storage period, but the control experienced a sudden change in temperature after 138 h and then froze. The preservation effect of MF-4 on meat quality was the best in all treatment groups. MF-4 achieved a higher water-retention rate, with drip and cook losses of 6.5% and 29.0% lower than the control, respectively. Meanwhile, the MF-4 effectively delayed the color change in the meat during the storage and the texture hardening after cooking, and effectively controlled the growth of the total volatile saline nitrogen content on the samples. In addition, MF-4 delayed the reduction in myofibrillar protein solubility, sulfhydryl content, and emulsification capacity, indicating that this field inhibited the denaturation of myofibrillar protein. This study can be considered as an application reference of magnetic fields during meat storage at a super-chilled temperature. Full article

The present study investigated the impact of quinoa protein (QP) on the physicochemical properties, sensory quality, and oxidative stability of myofibrillar protein (MP) in pork patties during five freeze–thaw (F-T) cycles. It was observed that repeated F-T cycles resulted in a deterioration of pork patty quality; however, the incorporation of QP effectively mitigated these changes. Throughout the F-T cycles, the sensory quality of the QP-treated group consistently surpassed that of the control group. After five F-T cycles, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) content in the control group was measured at 0.423 mg/kg, whereas it significantly decreased to 0.347 mg/kg in the QP-treated group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, QP inclusion led to a decrease in pH and an increase in water-holding capacity (WHC) within pork patties. Following five F-T cycles, Ca²⁺-ATPase activity exhibited a significant increase of 11.10% in the QP-treated group compared to controls (p < 0.05). Additionally, supplementation with QP resulted in elevated total sulfhydryl content and reduced carbonyl content, Schiff base content, and dityrosine content within myofibrillar proteins (MPs), indicating its inhibitory effect on MP oxidation. In particular, after five F-T cycles, total sulfhydryl content reached 58.66 nmol/mL for the QP-treated group significantly higher than that observed for controls at 43.65 nmol/mL (p < 0.05). While carbonyl content increased from 2.37 nmol/mL to 4.63 nmol/mL between the first and fifth F-T cycle for controls; it only rose from 2.15 nmol/mL to 3.47 nmol/mL in the QP-treated group. The endogenous fluorescence levels were significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the QP-treated group compared to controls. In conclusion, the addition of QP enhanced the quality of pork patties and effectively inhibited the oxidative denaturation of MP during F-T cycles. Full article

Temperature fluctuations severely damage the quality, oxidation stability, and structure of pork patties. This study investigated the potential reasons for Pleurotus eryngii (Pe) to protect frozen pork patties from quality degradation caused by temperature fluctuations and promoted the application of a natural ingredient. In this experiment, the pH, the water holding capacity (WHC), the properties of color and texture, the appearance, the degree of protein and lipid oxidation, and the microstructure of patties with different additions of Pe (0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, 1.00%, and 2.00%) were intensified during freezing and thawing (F–T) cycles. The results showed that patties with 0.50% Pe exhibited a distinguishable improvement in the changes of pH, WHC, color, and texture during F–T cycles (p < 0.05). With the times of F–T cycles increasing, 0.50% Pe was able to inhibit lipid oxidation of patties by decreasing the peroxide value (POV) and the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value to 0.87 and 0.66-fold, respectively, compared to those in the control group. It was also able to suppress the protein oxidation of the patties with a protein sulfhydryl content increasing to 1.13-fold and a carbonyl content decreasing to 0.49-fold compared to the patties in the control group (p < 0.05) after 5 F–T cycles. In addition, the figures of appearance and microstructure of samples indicated that 0.50% Pe effectively restrained the deterioration of structure features from patties after 5 F–T cycles. Thus, the addition of Pe effectively maintained the characteristics of pork patties under F–T cycles. Full article

This study evaluated the effect of FI (Fraction I, molecular weight < 1 kDa), which is separated from natural whey protein, on the antioxidant activity, sensory quality, color, texture characteristics, and microbial growth of pork balls during repeated freeze–thaw cycles (F-T cycles). The results indicated that pork balls mixed with FI significantly improved in quality after repeating the F-T cycle, especially with the addition of 10% FI. The quality was improved significantly after repeated F-T cycles by adding 10% FI, and the antioxidant activity after seven F-T cycles decreased by 40.78%, a similar result to that obtained with the addition of 0.02% BHA. In addition, FI effectively reduced the sensory damage of pork balls caused by repeated freezing–thawing and also significantly inhibited the growth of microorganisms. In summary, FI not only has excellent antioxidant capacity under repeated freeze–thaw conditions but also has significant antibacterial and quality preservation effects and is expected to be quantified as a kind of natural food additive with antibacterial and antioxidant properties. This paper not only explores the effect of FI on the quality characteristics of frozen and thawed pork balls in prepared dishes but also provides a theoretical basis for the application of whey polypeptides in prepared meat. Full article

Meat tenderness is one of the key factors determining consumer satisfaction and food quality. Freeze drying is a critical aspect of food preservation. Foods produced this way can be stored for an exceedingly long time, but they are characterized by being very hard in texture and requiring rehydration before use. This study presents an investigation focusing on finding preparation parameters of freeze-dried meat that would enable rehydration when left in an environment below 50 °C for 10 min, qualities that are ideal for hikers or soldiers. The meat samples were cooked at both 100 °C and 120 °C, cooled, and freeze-dried. Optical analysis, conducted using a microscope, was conducted to assess tissue damage. A compact and uniform structure was observed in the samples cooked at 120 °C, whereas fractures and gaps were detected on the surfaces of those cooked at 100 °C. Various rehydration durations and temperatures were explored to attain the samples’ original tenderness, as measured using the Warner–Bratzler method, and identify the optimal rehydration conditions. Based on this investigation, it was determined that with proper preparation, the original tenderness can be restored at temperatures below 50 °C within a 10 min rehydration period. It was determined that the recommended rehydration temperature is 40 °C for a 10 min duration. Full article

Storage duration detection for frozen meat, especially meat exceeding the state reserve time several times, has always been a big challenge in food safety inspection. Under long freezing times, the physical and chemical properties of meat change complexly. In this paper, the SS-OCT detection method under a low-frequency electric field is firstly (to our knowledge) applied to the predict storage durations of long-expired frozen meat. The average normalized cross-correlation (ANCC) is put forward as a comprehensive parameter to reflect both the electric–kinetic and optical properties of meat’s biological changes. A monotonically increasing inversion rule between ANCC and the storage duration of frozen meat is found after investigating 3840 pork samples, the frozen storage durations of which were from 1 to 13 months. To verify the correctness and accuracy of our method, nine groups of long-expired frozen pork samples were investigated. The maximum relative error for their storage durations is less than 5.71%, which means that our SS-OCT method under a low-frequency electric field is promising in providing a rapid on-site storage duration detection method without any complicated laboratory pretreatments for food safety inspection. Full article

Whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) has made a breakthrough in inhibiting oxidative deterioration and improving the quality of meat products during storage. Based on our previous study of extracting the most antioxidant active fraction I (FI, the molecular weight < 1 kDa) from whey protein hydrolysates of different molecular weights, the present study continued to delve into the effects of WPH with fraction I on the structure and function of myofibrillar proteins (MP) in ground pork during the freeze–thaw (F-T) cycles. With the number of F-T cycles raised, the total sulfhydryl content, the relative contents of α-helix, Ca²⁺-ATPase activity, K⁺-ATPase activity, solubility, emulsion activity index (EAI), and emulsion stability index (ESI) of MP gradually decreased. Conversely, the carbonyl content and the relative content of random curl showed an increasing trend. In particular, the damage to the structure and the function of MP became more pronounced after three F-T cycles. But, during F-T cycles, FI stabilized the structure of MP. Compared to the control group, the 10% FI group showed a remarkable improvement (p < 0.05) in the total sulfhydryl content, Ca²⁺-ATPase activity, K⁺-ATPase activity, solubility, EAI and ESI after multiple F-T cycles, suggesting that 10% FI could effectively inhibit protein oxidation and had the influence of preserving MP function properties. In conclusion, WPH with fraction I can be used as a potential natural antioxidant peptide for maintaining the quality of frozen processed meat products. Full article

The changes in protein degradation (TCA-soluble peptides), Schiff bases, dicarbonyl compounds (glyoxal-GO, methylglyoxal-MGO) and two typical advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) including N^ε-carboxymethyllysine (CML), N^ε-carboxyethyllysine (CEL) levels in ground pork supplemented with sucrose (4.0%) were investigated under nine freeze–thaw cycles and subsequent heating (100 °C/30 min). It was found that increase in freeze–thaw cycles promoted protein degradation and oxidation. The addition of sucrose further promoted the production of TCA-soluble peptides, Schiff bases and CEL, but not significantly, ultimately leading to higher levels of TCA-soluble peptides, Schiff bases, GO, MGO, CML, and CEL in the ground pork with the addition of sucrose than in the blank groups by 4%, 9%, 214%, 180%, 3%, and 56%, respectively. Subsequent heating resulted in severe increase of Schiff bases but not TCA-soluble peptides. Contents of GO and MGO all decreased after heating, while contents of CML and CEL increased. Full article

Modeling software was used to improve the efficiency of existing immersion freezing equipment. The concept of adding a rotating hopper device was proposed to make pork rotate with the rotating hopper in a flowing refrigerant carrier to achieve the effect of shortening the freezing time. In order to make up for the shortcomings of time-consuming processes and the limited information obtained from the measurement of the central temperature of pork, this paper establishes a mathematical model of the pre-freezing process using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software to simulate the three-dimensional unsteady state of the pork. The simulation results show that when the rotating hopper is stationary, the refrigerant circulation flow shortens the freezing speed by 490 s compared to the freezing speed in the stationary state of the refrigerant carrier, and the freezing time efficiency is improved by 9.5%. When the refrigerant carrier flow rate v = 0 m/s and when the hopper speed r = 2 rad/s, the central temperature of pork drops rapidly from 26 °C to −15 °C in 0~1250 s, the decline leveled off at 1250–2310 s, and finally dropped to −18 °C, requiring a total of 5410 s. The freezing time of the immersion and freezing equipment was reduced by 2830 s after the addition of the rotating device, improving efficiency by nearly 55%. When the rotation speed r is increased from 2 rad/s to 4 rad/s, the freezing time is shortened by 1290 s and the freezing efficiency is increased by nearly 53%. The addition of the rotating device will make the pork freezing effect more uniform. Full article

The aim of the study was to demonstrate canned pork as a functional meat product due to the presence of potentially anti-cancer factors, e.g., (a) bioactive peptides with potential activity against cancer cells; (b) lowering the content of sodium nitrite and with willow herb extract. In silico (for assessing the anticancer potential of peptides) and in vitro (antiproliferation activity on L-929 and CT-26 cell lines) analysis were performed, and the obtained results confirmed the bioactive potential against cancer of the prepared meat product. After 24 h of incubation with peptides obtained from meat product containing lyophilized herb extract at a concentration of 150 mg/kg, the viability of both tested cell lines was slightly decreased to about 80% and after 72 h to about 40%. On the other hand, after 72 h of incubation with the peptides obtained from the variant containing 1000 mg/kg of freeze-dried willow herb extract, the viability of intestinal cancer cells was decreased to about 40%, while, by comparison, the viability of normal cells was decreased to only about 70%. Full article

Frozen storage is an important strategy to maintain meat quality for long-term storage and transportation. Lipid oxidation is one of the predominant causes of the deterioration of meat quality during frozen storage. Untargeted lipidomic and targeted metabolomics were employed to comprehensively evaluate the effect of frozen duration on pork lipid profiles and lipid oxidative products including free fatty acids and fatty aldehydes. A total of 688 lipids, 40 fatty acids and 14 aldehydes were successfully screened in a pork sample. We found that ether-linked glycerophospholipids, the predominant type of lipids, gradually decreased during frozen storage. Of these ether-linked glycerophospholipids, ether-linked phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine containing more than one unsaturated bond were greatly influenced by frozen storage, resulting in an increase in free polyunsaturated fatty acids and fatty aldehydes. Among these lipid oxidative products, decanal, cis-11,14-eicosenoic acid and cis-5,8,11,14,17-dicosapentaenoic acid can be considered as potential indicators to calculate the freezing time of unknown frozen pork samples. Moreover, over the three-month frozen storage, the first month was a rapid oxidation stage while the other two months were a slow oxidation stage. Full article