Rapid (microwave) heating rate effects on texture, fat/water holding, and microstructure of cooked comminuted meat batters

• Published in: Food research international Vol. 81; pp. 108 - 113
• Main Authors: Liu, Wenjie, Lanier, Tyre C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2016
• Subjects: Comminuted meat products; Cook loss; Cooking; Cooling; Fracture; Heating; Meat; Microstructure; Microwave heating; Ramps; Surface layer; Texture; Water holding capacity; Cook loss; Comminuted meat products; Fracture; Microwave heating; Water holding capacity
• ISSN: 0963-9969; 1873-7145
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodres.2016.01.005

Comminuted and gelled, fat-containing meat products such as frankfurters and luncheon meats are commercially processed by heating relatively slowly (for up to 2h or more) to an endpoint of about 70°C prior to cooling. This study compared such a slow, ramp heating regime (0.5°C/min), terminated at 70°C, to rapid, square-wave cooking (one step: rapid 100°C/min heating to 70°C endpoint, plus isothermal holding prior to cooling, or two-step: rapid heating to 50°C, holding, then rapid heating to 70°C plus holding prior to cooling) on meat batter gel properties (fracture and small strain rheology, microstructure, cook loss, and expressible water). The results indicated that a rapid cooking process, with its inherent advantages of reduced process time, lower equipment footprint, and more efficient use of energy, can produce a product nearly equivalent in textural properties and cook yield to one processed by traditional smokehouse cooking when the cook value of the processes is similar and an intermediate (near 50°C) holding step is included (two-step rapid heating). One-step rapid heating negatively affected gel structural homogeneity and water/fat holding properties of fat-containing gels. •Rapid heating can produce equivalent product properties as slower ramp heating.•Two-step rapid heating/holding scheme was preferable to one-step.•Minimum cook value is required to build microstructure, regardless heating process.•Cook value is a valuable guideline to make good fat/water stability in meat gel.