Research on the effects of high‐intensity ultrasound (HIU) on meat quality properties shows contradictory results. The latter has been sometimes attributed to limited exposure time, not enough to cause cellular modifications. This study evaluated the effect of different exposure times (0, 10, 20, and 40 min) of HIU (37 kHz, 90 W cm−2) on physicochemical properties including; pH, color, tenderness, and microbial counts of two different portions of beef Longissimus lumborum (cranial–caudal). No significant effect of loin portion was observed (p > .05). Ultrasonication time caused a 20.7% toughness reduction of beef (p < .05). However, ultrasonication time also increased hue from 0.62 to 0.76 from red to orange values (p < .05), but it did not affect important coordinates such as a* or C*. Ultrasound caused an increase in the pH from 5.46 to 5.6 (p < .05), but pH was not affected by the time. The highest tenderness was achieved at 40 min of sonication. Significant reductions of mesophiles, psychrophiles, and coliforms were observed after ultrasonication when compared to control (p < .05). The best ultrasonic condition for microbial reduction was at 10 min, when the lowest microorganism counts were achieved, with a subsequent growth when increasing ultrasonication time. Practical Applications High‐intensity ultrasound application appears to be a promising method to increase tenderness in beef. However, optimum time, intensity, and methodology for its application have to be defined, because the variations may affect other quality characteristics such as color or microbial contamination. To find ideal parameter values may help the industry to take decisions on the design of specialized equipment for ultrasonication of meat.

Beef steaks (L. lumborum and Semitendinosus) were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: 1) No‐ultrasonicated; 2) 16 W/cm2 or 3) 28 W/cm2 ultrasonicated in vacuum bags (VAC). Later, steaks were also randomly packed in either VAC or modified atmosphere (MAP, 25–75%, CO2‐O2). After simulated retail display (SRD, 3°C, 12 h light) for 6 d, High‐intensity Ultrasound (HIU) increased redness and saturation on VAC meat (p < 0.05) and produced an increase on L. lumborum (p < 0.05) but not on Semitendinosus (p > 0.05) shear force. High concentrations of O2 in MAP increased loss of redness (2.83 vs. 2.13 MAP vs. VAC, respectively) and saturation (2.64 vs. 1.99, respectively) during SRD. MAP also increased L. lumborum shear force (4.4 vs. 3.2 kgf, respectively p < 0.001) and lipid oxidation (p < 0.001). HIU may be consider as a strategy to improve beef color on VAC. Moreover, high O2 concentrations on MAP should be used with caution for beef, because of a possible negative impact on oxidative stability and tenderness.Practical applicationsHigh intensity ultrasound on bovine Longissimus lumborum and Semitendinosus appears to be a promising method among the recent techniques for improving color of vacuum packed beef without a negative effect on pH and water holding capacity when applied to fresh meat. Hence, ultrasonication may be considered as a strategy to positively influence the acceptance of vacuum packed beef by final consumers.

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La búsqueda por una mejor conservación de la carne y sus productos es una constante dentro de la industria alimentaria. Dentro de los procesos de conservación, la descontaminación de microorganismos es el área en la que más se enfoca la investigación, el desarrollo y la innovación de metodologías, ya sea por un beneficio al producto alimenticio durante su almacenamiento, procesamiento o vida de anaquel, o por una reducción a problemas de salud en el consumidor. Existe una gran variedad de metodologías de conservación que se han desarrollado. Desafortunadamente, la mayoría de ellas conllevan alteraciones estructurales, nutricionales o sensoriales indeseables, sobre todo aquellas que implican alteraciones en la temperatura de la carne o sus productos. En años recientes se ha puesto especial atención a metodologías de conservación no térmicas (Irradiación, luz ultravioleta, ultrasonido, campo de pulsos eléctricos, altas presiones hidrostáticas, antimicrobianos naturales y tecnología Hurdle), considerando a estas como una alternativa excelente, dado que no afectan la calidad del alimento. Este documento es una revisión de las metodologías no térmicas de procesamiento comúnmente aplicadas a productos cárnicos, las nuevas tendencias, así como la combinación de varias tecnologías para su implementación en el futuro. DOI: https://doi.org/10.54167/tecnociencia.v15i2.829