The Application of High-Intensity Ultrasound on Wet-Dry Combined Aged Pork Loin Induces Physicochemical and Oxidative Alterations.

This research investigated the synergic outcome of high intensity ultrasound (HIU) treatment and wet-dry combined aging (WDCA) on physiochemical characteristics and lipid oxidation during refrigerated storage to ameliorate pork meat's quality and shelf life. The CIE b* values, cooking loss (CL %), and pH of the HIU treated samples were higher than those of the control over the aging period. They were significantly (p<0.05) modified by the aging period and ultrasound (US) treatment. However, the released water (RW %) and moisture were not significantly influenced by US treatment (p>0.05). The Warner-Bratzler shear force of HIU-treated samples was lower over control values except in 7-14 d, and it showed a significant difference between control and US treatment according to the significance of HIU (p<0.05). The thiobarbituric acid reactive substance of HIU-treated samples was significantly higher (p<0.05) than control values over the aging period. These results suggested that HIU treatment and WDCA showed a synergistic effect of maximizing the tenderness, but lipid oxidation was higher than before ultrasonic treatment. In agreement with this, the most favorable approach would involve implementing wet aging for a period of two weeks followed by dry aging for a period not exceeding one week after the application of HIU.

Effect of Novel High-Intensity Ultrasound Technique on Physio-Chemical, Sensory Attributes, and Microstructure of Bovine Semitendinosus Muscle.

The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU) application on meat quality traits, sensory parameters, and the microstructure of semitendinosus muscle from Hanwoo cattle. The samples were treated in an ultrasonic bath (35 kHz) at an intensity of 800 W/cm2 for 60 min, followed by aging at 1°C for 0, 3, and 7 days. The application of ultrasound resulted in lower Warner-Bratzler shear force and higher myofibrillar fragmentation index values during the storage period. HIU also enhanced the tenderness, flavor, umami, and overall acceptability of cooked beef muscle. However, the electronic tongue evaluation results showed higher umami values in the control treatment on the seventh day of storage. The microstructure of sonicated meat showed disorganized myofibrillar architecture and swelling in the A-band region of sarcomeres during the storage period, which led to greater meat tenderness. The heatmap illustrated the high abundance of α-linolenic acid (C20:5n3) and eicosapentaenoic acid (C18:3n3) in sonicated meat samples on the third day of the storage. These results showed that HIU is a potential method for tenderizing and improving the sensory attributes of beef without compromising other quality aspects.