The effect of pressure-assisted heating on the water holding capacity of chicken batters

• Published in: Innovative food science & emerging technologies Vol. 45; pp. 280 - 286
• Main Authors: Zheng, Hai-bo, Han, Min-yi, Yang, Hui-juan, Xu, Xing-lian, Zhou, Guang-hong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2018
• Subjects: Microstructure; Pressure assisted heating; Protein denaturation; Water distribution and mobility; Water holding capacity; Water distribution and mobility; Protein denaturation; Pressure assisted heating; Sodium chloride (PubChem CID: 5234); Microstructure; Sodium tripolyphosphate (PubChem CID: 24,455); Water holding capacity
• ISSN: 1466-8564; 1878-5522
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ifset.2017.11.011

The ability of gel-type meat products to hold water is an important quality attribute, which is affected by processing. The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of pressure-assisted heating, which can disrupt myofibrils and hinder heat-induced protein denaturation, on the water holding capacity of chicken meat batters. High pressure-assisted heating (100–400MPa, 65°C, and 30min) and heating-only (0.1MPa, 65°C, and 30min) was applied to chicken meat batters, the centrifugal loss, water distribution and mobility, microstructure, and residual denaturation enthalpy were determined. A threshold pressure of between 300 and 400MPa was found, below which the WHC was improved, but impaired at greater pressures. Distributed exponential analysis of the T2 relaxation revealed three states of water binding (T2b, T21 and T22), each of which was significantly correlated with WHC. Pressure-treated batters had a higher amount of bound water than the heat-only batters, and showed a decrease in immobilized water and an increase in free water with increasing pressure. Myofibril structures were degraded by high pressure. High pressure resulted in a porous microstructure which held more water. However, pressures greater than the threshold caused loose gel-networks and decreased water holding capacities. The heat-denaturation of meat proteins was affected by high pressure. Actin was denatured by high pressure instead of heating, while collagen and some myosin derivatives were preserved from being denatured by heating. The changes in protein denaturation and batter microstructure were correlated with water distribution properties. The results contributed to a better understanding of the effects of high-pressure with heat on the water holding capacity of chicken batters. A beneficial threshold pressure of between 300 and 400MPa was found, below which the water holding capacity was improved, and above which water holding capacity was reduced. As the effect of high pressure on physical properties and sterilization were not always consistent, this finding reminds the meat industry need to adopt a suitable pressure to achieve a balance between physical properties and sterilization. The low filed nuclear magnetic resonance could be adopted in a routine examination of product quality. •The porous microstructure induced by high pressure contributed to hold water.•Pressures higher than 300MPa disturbed the denaturation of meat proteins.•The threshold pressure for water holding capacity was between 300 and 400MPa.