Application of light extinction to determine stability of beef emulsions

• Published in: Journal of food engineering Vol. 96; no. 2; pp. 309 - 315
• Main Authors: Álvarez, D., Castillo, M., Payne, F.A., Cox, R.B., Xiong, Y.L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 2010; [New York, NY]: Elsevier Science Pub. Co; Elsevier
• Subjects: absorbance; analysis of variance; beef; Biological and medical sciences; chopping; Chopping control; cooking; cooking loss; cooking quality; emulsifying; Fiber optic; fiber optics; Food engineering; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Light backscatter; Light extinction; light intensity; Meat and meat product industries; Meat emulsion; meat emulsions; meat processing; Optical density; oxidative stability; Sensor technology; spectrometers; I Loss; D; OD 1–2; OD 1–3; L; I Loss1–2; I Loss1–3; Chopping control; T; OD; Light backscatter; Fiber optic; IT 3; IT 1; IT 2; Light extinction; Sensor technology; a; Meat emulsion; b; C LF; IT; C L; Optical density; R FL; CT; I N; I N2; I N1; I N3; Stability; Meat product; Emulsion; Technology; Light; Quality; Mincing; Beef; Application
• ISSN: 0260-8774; 1873-5770
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2009.08.003

One of the major concerns in the meat processing industry is the loss of emulsion stability resulting in cooking losses. An optical sensor technology to control the emulsification process would minimize this problem. The normalized light intensity ( I N) as a function of fat/lean ratio ( R FL; 0.075, 0.25, 0.33) and chopping time (CT; 2, 5, 8 min) were measured at three radial distances (2, 2.5, 3 mm) from the light source to calculate the optical density (OD) and the loss of intensity ( I Loss), using a fiber optic spectrometer. ANOVA results were highly significant for I N, I Loss. Normalized intensity decreased with increased chopping time as a result of emulsion homogenization, and with increased distance. Chopping time had a positive correlation with fat losses during cooking, which in turn had a negative correlation with I N and I Loss. These results suggest that light extinction spectroscopy could provide information about emulsion stability.