Analysis of Water Distribution and Muscle Quality of Silver Carp ( Hypophthalmichthys molitrix ) Chunks Based on Electron-Beam Irradiation

• Published in: Foods Vol. 11; no. 19; p. 2963
• Main Authors: Li, Hai-Lan, Li, Mei-Jin, Zhao, Qing, Huang, Jia-Jun, Zu, Xiao-Yan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI AG 22.09.2022; MDPI
• Subjects: Actomyosin; Carp; Electron beams; Electron irradiation; electron-beam irradiation; Food preservation; Food products; Food science; Freshwater resources; Hypophthalmichthys molitrix; Irradiation; Low temperature; Magnetic resonance imaging; Moisture content; Moisture effects; muscle quality; Muscles; NMR; Nuclear magnetic resonance; Proteins; Radiation; Radiation dosage; Room temperature; silver carp chunks; Sterilization; Water analysis; Water content; Water distribution; Water engineering; Water quality; China; muscle quality; electron-beam irradiation; water distribution; silver carp chunks
• ISSN: 2304-8158; 2304-8158
• DOI: 10.3390/foods11192963

Electron-beam irradiation (EBI) is an efficient, safe, and nonthermal sterilization technique that is extensively used in food preservation research. Here we report the effects of different EBI doses (0, 4, 8 kGy) and preservation temperatures (room temperature [RT], 4 °C) on the muscle water distribution and muscle quality indices of silver carp chunks (SCCs). The highest entrapped water content was found in the 4-kGy-irradiated/4-°C-stored samples. The expressible moisture content (EMC) of the SCCs increased with increasing irradiation dose and was significantly lower in the RT group than in the 4 °C group. The irradiation dose and preservation temperature had no significant effect on the moisture content, whiteness value and protein content of SCCs (p > 0.05). When the irradiation dose reached 8 kGy, AV value, POV value and TVB value were significantly increased (p < 0.05). The myofibrillar protein content and actomyosin content of the SCCs in the 4 °C group was higher than that of the specimens in the RT group by 0.29−0.98 mg/mL (p < 0.05) and 36.21−296.58 μg/mL (p < 0.05), respectively. Overall, EBI treatment (4 kGy) and low-temperature preservation (4 °C) helped retain the muscle water content of the SCCs and preserve their quality, thereby endorsing the EBI treatment of silver carp products.