Tenderization of Beef Semitendinosus Muscle by Pulsed Electric Field Treatment with a Direct Contact Chamber and Its Impact on Proteolysis and Physicochemical Properties

Abstract

In this study, the effects of pulse electric field (PEF) treatment on the tenderization of beef semitendinosus muscle were investigated. An adjustable PEF chamber was designed to make direct contact with the surface of the beef sample without water as the PEF-transmitting medium. PEF treatment was conducted with electric field strengths between 0.5 and 2.0 kV/cm. The pulse width and pulse number were fixed as 30 μs and 100 pulses, respectively. The impedance spectrum of PEF-treated beef indicated that PEF treatments induced structural changes in beef muscle, and the degree of the structural changes was dependent on the strength of the electric field. Cutting force, hardness, and chewiness were significantly decreased at 2.0 kV/cm (35, 37, and 34%, respectively) (p < 0.05). Troponin-T was more degraded by PEF treatment at 2.0 kV/cm intensity (being degraded by 90%). The fresh quality factors such as color and lipid oxidation were retained under a certain level of PEF intensity (1.0 kV/cm). These findings suggest that PEF treatment could tenderize beef texture while retaining its fresh quality.

Effects of Pulsed Electric Field on Meat Tenderization and Microbial Decontamination: A Review

“…PEF treatment for solid foods is conducted in the batch chamber, which is filled with a low-conductive medium such as tap water. Unlike continuous chambers, batch chambers have been modified in various forms ( Jeong et al, 2023 ; Li et al., 2020 ; Mok et al, 2017 ). The adjustable chamber illustrated in Fig.…”

“…The adjustable chamber illustrated in Fig. 1A was designed to allow for the adjustment of electrode gap ( Jeong et al, 2023 ). This setup can be used to treat samples without the need for a medium and enables direct contact with the chamber without space between the electrode and the sample.…”

“…Most of the studies listed in Tables 1 and 2 heated the meat samples for measuring shear force or texture profiles. While Jeong et al (2023) assessed the texture of raw beef Semitendinosus muscle, it is important to note that eating raw meat is not a common practice worldwide, except in some East Asian countries. Additionally, the texture of raw meat can vary depending on its temperature.…”

“…Several studies have demonstrated that proteolysis is facilitated by PEF treatment, regardless of the mechanical texture measurements. Table 3 summarizes the findings of studies on proteolysis induced by PEF, which were approached from three different perspectives: the level of myofibril structure ( Chian et al, 2019 ; Mungure et al, 2020 ; O’Dowd et al, 2013 ), structural proteins ( Bhat et al., 2019b ; Bhat et al, 2019c ; Jeong et al, 2023 ; Suwandy et al, 2015a ; Suwandy et al, 2015b ), and myofibrillar protein (MP) extracts ( Dong et al, 2020 ; Wang et al, 2022 ).…”

“…Calpain activity also plays a crucial role in meat protein degradation ( Coria et al, 2018 ). Jeong et al (2023) investigated the proteolysis effect of PEF treatment (0.5 to 2.0 kV/cm) and found that PEF treatment did not significantly affect μ-calpain but resulted in a significant decrease in troponin-T. Calpain activity was slightly increased by PEF treatment in deer longissimus lumborum muscle ( Bhat et al, 2019c ). Likewise, troponin-T and desmin were degraded by PEF on different muscles ( Bhat et al, 2019b ; Bhat et al., 2019c ; Suwandy et al, 2015a ; Suwandy et al, 2015b ).…”