The objective of this study was to compare the relationships between instrumental texture measurements and subjective woody breast (
WB
) scores in raw broiler breast fillets. A total of 181 broiler breast fillets were scored based on palpable hardness and rigidity ranging from 1.0 to 3.0 in 0.5 increments. Texture properties of raw fillets were measured with 3 different instrumental methods: compression force, blunt Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear (
BMORS
), and Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear (
MORS
). Compression force was measured based on % of fillet height (30%) and distance (10 mm). Blunt Meullenet-Owens Razor Shear and MORS measurements included peak force, energy, and peak counts. One-way ANOVA of instrumental texture measurements were performed. Spearman correlations between WB scores and instrumental texture measurements and Pearson correlations between 3 instrumental measurements were analyzed. ANOVA results showed that the best means separations between WB scores were found with the compression method. The weakest means separations were observed with MORS force and BMORS peak counts. Spearman correlation coefficients showed that there were significant relationships between WB scores and instrumental measurements. The strongest correlations were found between subjective WB scores and compression force measurements (r = 0.58–0.73,
P
< 0.0001), followed by BMORS force and energy (r = 0.55–0.56,
P
< 0 0.0001), MORS energy and peak count (r = 0.47–0.50,
P
< 0 0.0001), and BMORS peak count (r = −0.18,
P
= 0.015). The weakest correlation was found between the WB scores and MORS force (r = 0.17,
P
= 0.023). Pearson correlation coefficients between 3 different instrumental texture methods were also significant (
P
< 0.0001). These results demonstrate that there are significant correlations between subjective WB scores and instrumental texture measurements but that correlation strength varies with the instrumental method. Instrumental texture measurements can be used as references for subjective WB scores. Compression force method has the best potential for assessing subjective WB condition scores.
In the present study, the synergetic effect and mechanism of ultrasound (US) and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) on the inactivation of Escherichia coli (E. coli) were evaluated. The results showed that US combined with SAEW treatment showed higher sanitizing efficacy for reducing E. coli than US and SAEW alone treatment. US and US combined with SAEW treatments resulted in smaller particle size of E. coli compared to the control and SAEW treatment. In addition, US combined with SAEW treatment induced the highest potassium leakage. However, the highest protein leakage was recorded in US treatment. Moreover, scanning and transmission electron microscopy analysis revealed that the greatest damage of the appearance and ultrastructure of E. coli was achieved after US combined with SAEW treatment. The synergetic effect was also confirmed by CLSM analysis. Fluorescence spectroscopy suggested that treatments of US, SAEW, and US combined with SAEW changed protein conformation of E. coli. Overall, the present study demonstrated that the sterilization mechanism of US combined with SAEW treatment was decreasing the particle size and disrupting the permeability of cell membrane and the cytoplasmic ultrastructure as well as changing protein conformation of E. coli.
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