title: The effect of ultrasonic salting on protein and water-protein interactions in meat.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of power ultrasound (US) treatment (4.2, 11 or 19 W cm(-2) for 10, 25 or 40 min) on water-protein interactions during the salting of pork. All US treatments increased the protein extraction above that of the control (p<0.001), with the exception of 4.2 W cm(-2) for 10 and 25 min. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated myosin denaturation at the surface of the sample treated with the highest power (19 W cm(-2), 40 min). There was no effect on water binding capacity assessed by centrifuge, however, low-field nuclear magnetic resonance T21 relaxation was increased by 19 W cm(-2) (p<0.05). No changes to the meat matrix were evident by light microscopy. Findings indicate that US salting could be a surface phenomenon which can accelerate mass transfer and extract protein but denature myosin at high power inputs. Potential could exist for US to enhance conventional curing techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Chemistry and Technology, Teagasc Food Research Centre, Ashtown, Dublin 15, Ireland; School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland.
authors.forename: C K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: McDonnell
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Morin
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Lyng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005511:Food Handling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D011506:Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D013010:Sonication; D013552:Swine; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D011506:Proteins; D014867:Water
keywords: (1)H NMR; Curing; Processing; Protein; Ultrasound