Meat Science[JOURNAL]
Sun
200 papers
Regulation of antioxidant properties and applications of Debaryomyces hansenii HRB1 and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa SH9 in fermented dry sausages: From NaCl pre-stress to performance enhancement.
Sui Y, Guo X, Zhang B … +5 more , Li XA, Tian Y, Kong B, Zhang H, Chen Q
Meat Sci · 2026 Aug · PMID 41990464 · Publisher ↗
This study investigated the antioxidant responses of Debaryomyces hansenii HRB1 and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa SH9 isolated from Harbin dry sausage under NaCl pre-stress (0%, 1%, 2%, and 4%). In vitro experiments showed th...
This study investigated the antioxidant responses of Debaryomyces hansenii HRB1 and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa SH9 isolated from Harbin dry sausage under NaCl pre-stress (0%, 1%, 2%, and 4%). In vitro experiments showed that NaCl pre-stress significantly enhanced radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and ATP concentration while decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, with optimal improvements at 1% and 2% NaCl (P < 0.05). In the dry sausage system, D. hansenii HRB1 and R. mucilaginosa SH9 pre-stressed with 1% or 2% NaCl showed a significant reduction in oxidation levels (P < 0.05). Compared to the control treatment, all treatments exhibited significantly decreased peroxide values, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, and carbonyl contents, with value ranges of 0.75-0.76 mmol/kg, 0.36-0.42 mg MDA/kg, and 7.39-7.71 nmol/kg, respectively. D. hansenii HRB1 pre-stressed with 2% NaCl exhibited the strongest antioxidant capacity. In conclusion, NaCl pre-stress activated cellular antioxidant defense systems, thereby enhancing oxidative stability in fermented sausages. This cross-protection phenomenon provides a theoretical basis for optimizing antioxidant strain performance and improving fermented meat product quality through controlled stress pretreatment.
Consumer perspectives on reducing meat consumption: Why recommendations often fail to induce behaviour change?
Lähteenmäki L
Meat Sci · 2026 Aug · PMID 41946012 · Publisher ↗
In food systems, sustainability is regarded as a major challenge that need to be addressed in order to produce the desired outcomes related to environment, food security, and economic and social well-being of people. Con...
In food systems, sustainability is regarded as a major challenge that need to be addressed in order to produce the desired outcomes related to environment, food security, and economic and social well-being of people. Consumers making changes in their food choices have been regarded as the major actors in achieving the required transformations, because consumption is one of the drivers of food systems. However, putting consumers' food choices in the central position in driving the change tends to undermine the roles of other actors and drivers. Consumers need to change their behaviour but to enable the changes, they need support from other actors. Food-related behaviours are complex as they are influenced by physiology, environment, social factors and culture, but still the decisions are made with little effort as part of established household routines and habits. Household food provisioning systems and the role of diverse types of decisions made during the provisioning process have gained limited attention in studies in comparison to the choice and purchase decisions, although they may be the bottlenecks hampering the desired changes in the purchase decisions. Meat reduction is an interesting behaviour because it targets culturally highly valued central piece in meals that in public recommendations is demoted to become a part of diet that should be restricted for health and sustainability reasons. Consumers' role and responsibility in making changes in their food-related behaviour will be discussed in relation to household food provisioning processes and roles of other food system actors in enabling and supporting those changes.
Adaptive weight estimation and segmentation of beef carcass tissues from computed tomography images.
Hao Y, Guan J, Burgess JEM … +2 more , González LA, Wang X
Meat Sci · 2026 Aug · PMID 41932043 · Publisher ↗
Meat yield and quality are often measured through the weight and distribution of muscle and fat and determine the value of a carcass and hence play a crucial role in the meat industry. Traditional methods such as physica...
Meat yield and quality are often measured through the weight and distribution of muscle and fat and determine the value of a carcass and hence play a crucial role in the meat industry. Traditional methods such as physical dissection and chemical analysis for carcass composition (muscle, fat, bone) are often destructive, time-consuming, and the accuracy is operator dependent. As a credible alternative, computed tomography (CT) scanning of the carcass enables automated weight estimation of different carcass tissues. A novel Adaptive Segmentation and Weight estimation (ASW) method was developed to infer HU thresholds in the absence of physical gold standard, allowing robust classification and weight estimation of fat, muscle, and bone tissues from CT images obtained under varying protocols, based on the frequency distribution of voxel HU values. Using spiral CT technology, the study scanned 175 beef carcass cuts from nine Angus, seven Brahman, and nine Charolais steer carcasses. The ASW method demonstrated high precision and accuracy with three different CT protocols compared to the fixed threshold weight estimation method. Lin's concordance correlation coefficient (Lin's CCC) against physical dissection was above 0.997 for total carcass weight using ASW estimation, and above 0.974 for fat and muscle tissue. Further, the present method achieved high efficiency in determining thresholds within 15 s and it is therefore recommended to process CT images for tissue segmentation. It is concluded that the AWS method developed in the present study offers advantages over traditional, fixed threshold methods.
A study on the inhibitory effect of flaxseed oil emulsion coatings on Tyrophagus putrescentiae and quality of dry-cured ham.
Wu H, Zhang X, Wang X … +6 more , Cai Z, Liu P, Tang J, Wu T, Schilling MW, Shao W
Meat Sci · 2026 Aug · PMID 41932042 · Publisher ↗
Flaxseed oil (FO) emulsions were stabilized by chitosan/gelatin (CS/GE) complexes and applied as coatings to dry-cured ham. Emulsions with varying FO concentrations (20-40 wt% FO and 100 wt% FO) were prepared and applied...
Flaxseed oil (FO) emulsions were stabilized by chitosan/gelatin (CS/GE) complexes and applied as coatings to dry-cured ham. Emulsions with varying FO concentrations (20-40 wt% FO and 100 wt% FO) were prepared and applied to ham cubes cut from finished dry-cured hams, and their effects on mite growth, surface color, and flavor were assessed. The results indicated that mite growth was inhibited at FO concentrations of ≥27.5 wt%, with 40 wt% and 100 wt% FO having the fewest mites (P < 0.05) out of all FO treatments. All emulsions were stable and exhibited favorable electrostatic properties. Macroscopic and microscopic observations showed uniform emulsions; phase separation was observed only in emulsions with lower FO concentrations (22.5 wt% and 27.5 wt%) after prolonged storage. Increasing FO concentration (from 22.5 wt% to 37.5 wt%) resulted in decreased droplet sizes, which contributed to enhanced emulsion stability. Sensory evaluation confirmed that FO coatings did not adversely affect the flavor of the ham, indicating their potential suitability for practical applications. Overall, flaxseed oil emulsions represent a promising natural alternative for preserving dry-cured ham, offering mite-inhibiting benefits while maintaining sensory quality.
Rice wine lees coating enhances proteolysis and umami development in Jinhua ham during ripening.
Ding M, Du J, Wang Y … +6 more , Zhou C, Zhang Y, Zhuang S, Teng W, Wang J, Cao J
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41916051 · Publisher ↗
This study investigated the effects of rice wine lees coating on proteolysis, peptide formation, amino acid metabolism, and taste development in Jinhua ham during ripening. Three traditional lees types (Fujian red yeast...
This study investigated the effects of rice wine lees coating on proteolysis, peptide formation, amino acid metabolism, and taste development in Jinhua ham during ripening. Three traditional lees types (Fujian red yeast rice lees (RL), Shengzhou yellow wine lees (YL1), and Ningbo pressed lees (YL2)) were applied to the ham surface, and their biochemical and sensory impacts were systematically evaluated. Lees treatment significantly enhanced acid protease activity, accelerated the degradation of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins, and increased total volatile basic nitrogen levels within a safe range. Peptidomic profiling revealed a substantial rise in peptide number and diversity, particularly in YL1-treated samples, with enrichment of taste-active peptides such as SSI, RCA, LDI, and HLAA. Free amino acid analysis confirmed higher concentrations of umami-related amino acids (Glu, Arg, Lys) in lees-treated groups, consistent with the elevated proteolytic activity. Electronic tongue and sensory evaluations demonstrated intensified umami and sweetness perceptions, accompanied by enhanced overall taste complexity and mild alcoholic aroma. The results indicate that rice wine lees effectively promote proteolysis and the formation of taste-active compounds, providing a natural and sustainable strategy to improve the sensory quality and flavor richness of traditional dry-cured hams.
Incorporation of ternary biological preservatives into reduced-salt frankfurters for extended shelf life and enhanced storage quality.
Zhang J, Li X, Liu Y … +7 more , Liu D, Feng Y, Cao C, Kong B, Zhang H, Liu Q, Cao S
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41905150 · Publisher ↗
The significantly shortened shelf life of reduced-salt frankfurters necessitates the development of effective, non-chemical preservatives. This study aimed to optimise the ratio of nisin, ε-polylysine (ε-PL), and chitosa...
The significantly shortened shelf life of reduced-salt frankfurters necessitates the development of effective, non-chemical preservatives. This study aimed to optimise the ratio of nisin, ε-polylysine (ε-PL), and chitosan (CTS) and elucidate its effects on the bacterial community, physicochemical properties, and shelf life of reduced-salt frankfurters during refrigeration. The results indicated that the optimal composition of the ternary biological preservative (TBP) was 0.16, 0.18, and 0.47 g/kg of nisin, ε-PL, and CTS, respectively. The TBP significantly reduced bacterial diversity and inhibited spoilage bacteria such as Brochothrix thermosphacta, decreasing its relative abundance from 40.34% in the control group to 23.02% by day 70, while regulating the overall bacterial community composition. Moreover, the TBP-enhanced reduced-salt frankfurters maintained superior moisture and colour characteristics during storage at 4 °C, minimised pH fluctuations, decelerated fat oxidation and protein degradation, and ultimately delayed texture loss and flavour deterioration. A validated predictive model confirmed a 102-day shelf life for the TBP-enhanced reduced-salt frankfurters, surpassing that of preservative-free samples by 54.55% and that of samples with commercially available preservatives (CAP) by 4.08%. Therefore, our findings demonstrate that the TBP represents an efficient biological preservative strategy, offering a robust solution for developing non-chemical, high-quality, shelf-stable reduced-salt emulsified meat products.
Designing sensory evaluation experiments in meat science: practical considerations for researchers.
Campagnol PCB, Dos Santos BA
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41903352 · Publisher ↗
Abstract loading — click title to view on PubMed.
Recent advances in meat quality of north American bison - A review.
Weldy GT, O'Sullivan LM, Blair AD
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41875695 · Publisher ↗
Interest in bison as a protein source has increased, underscoring the need to understand factors that influence meat quality and nutritional value. Over the past three decades, research has demonstrated that both pre- an...
Interest in bison as a protein source has increased, underscoring the need to understand factors that influence meat quality and nutritional value. Over the past three decades, research has demonstrated that both pre- and post-harvest factors can impact carcass traits, meat quality attributes, and nutrient composition of bison. Early work commonly compared beef with bison, but the biological and physiological differences between these species highlight the importance of species-specific evaluations rather than extrapolations from cattle research. Among pre-harvest factors, finishing systems have been studied most extensively, establishing the effects of grass- and grain-finishing on carcass outcomes and meat quality attributes, whereas the effects of animal sex and physiological maturity remain less well characterized. Bison meat has been shown to be a nutrient-dense source of macro- and micronutrients; however, nuances between different management systems may support differentiated marketing to promote quality or health-related attributes specific to a target market. Post-harvest research has focused primarily on carcass chilling strategies, packaging, and storage methods, with particular emphasis on tenderness development, color stability, and shelf life. Modern technologies and further processing applications have been explored only to a limited extent in bison products. This review aims to synthesize the recent advances in bison meat quality and nutritional composition research, identify critical pre- and post-harvest drivers of product quality, and highlight key gaps and future research needs for this keystone species.
Effects of mitochondrial lipid molecules on release of ROS and beef muscle oxidation: a perspective on membrane system.
Meng X, Xie P, Zou B … +3 more , Dai R, Liu X, Zang M
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41875694 · Publisher ↗
The release of postmortem mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributes to muscle oxidative deterioration. Six LuXi yellow male cattle (22 months, 450 kg) were selected and each Psoas major muscles were divided...
The release of postmortem mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) contributes to muscle oxidative deterioration. Six LuXi yellow male cattle (22 months, 450 kg) were selected and each Psoas major muscles were divided into two: (1) in a NaCl solution and (2) in a mitoquinone solution. The release mechanism of beef ROS was explored from the perspectives of mitochondrial structure and lipid molecules. 3994 lipid species matched with 44 lipid classes were identified. These lipids encompass glycerophospholipids, sphingolipids, and glycerides. The linear mixed analysis model found significant interaction between treatment and storage time on phosphatidylethanolamine (PE, P = 0.0374), triglycerides (TG, P < 0.01), Ceramide (Cer, P = 0.016), sphingomyelin (SM, P = 0.048) and acylcarnitine AcCa (P < 0.01). Importantly, glycerol phospholipids such as PE, cardiolipin (CL), phosphatidylcholine (PC), and TG constitute the basic structure of mitochondrial membrane. Cylindrical lipids PC and SM are conducive to membrane stability, while conical lipids PE and CL increase membrane elasticity, ensuring mitochondrial integrity and preventing excessive ROS release. Simultaneously, mitoquinone may inhibit the production of ROS by mitochondrial complexes. This study found that compared to sodium chloride group, mitoquinone treatment may reduce the level of ROS in postmortem muscle and inhibited the rapid increase of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and carbonyls (P < 0.05). These results indicate that changes in critical mitochondrial lipid molecules are closely related to the generation and release of mitochondrial ROS, thereby altering lipid and protein oxidation of postmortem muscles and beef quality.
Effects of electrical stimulation on metabolomic and lipidomic profiles of beef Longissimus thoracis muscle.
Antonelo DS, Paschoal VR, Silva SDLE … +6 more , Rosa AF, Vasco DA, Beline M, Gerrard DE, Ventura RV, Balieiro JCC
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41875693 · Publisher ↗
This study evaluated the temporal changes in the metabolome and lipidome of muscle collected at various times postmortem from electrically stimulated (ES) and non-stimulated (NS) carcasses. Carcasses (n = 6 per treatment...
This study evaluated the temporal changes in the metabolome and lipidome of muscle collected at various times postmortem from electrically stimulated (ES) and non-stimulated (NS) carcasses. Carcasses (n = 6 per treatment) from feedlot Nellore (Bos indicus) bulls were split and randomly assigned to either medium-voltage ES or NS treatments and Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle samples were collected at 1 h, 3 h, 12 h and 24 h postmortem for metabolome and lipidome analyses. Temporal metabolomic and lipidomic profiling identified 829 and 466 compounds, respectively, of which 152 and 47, respectively differed between ES and NS carcasses at 1 h (n = 34 and 19, respectively), 3 h (n = 44 and 4, respectively), 12 h (n = 46 and 16, respectively) and 24 h (n = 28 and 8, respectively) postmortem. Among the numerous metabolic pathways regulating the effects of ES on early postmortem muscle metabolism, results of this study highlight the dynamic interaction between energy metabolism, cellular response to stress, and muscle structure throughout the early postmortem maturation of beef. Specifically, ES induced a distinct temporal metabolic pattern characterized by an early energy burst and acidification (0-3h), followed by oxidative adaptation and proteolysis (3-12h), and finally the stabilization and restructuring of lipids (12-24 h). These coordinated biochemical transitions suggest that ES acts as a modulator of postmortem energy flow and redox homeostasis, accelerating early metabolic adaptation and influencing lipid remodeling during postmortem muscle development.
Calcium and calpastatin delay proteolysis early during beef maturation.
Bodmer JS, Beline M, Yen CN … +9 more , Zumbaugh M, Wicks JC, Roth EC, Chen J, Koohmaraie M, Matarneh S, Shi TH, Silva SL, Gerrard DE
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41865453 · Publisher ↗
This study extends our investigation of calpain-mediated proteolysis during early beef maturation using an in vitro proteolytic approach. Calpain-1 autolysis and calpastatin abundance were determined in the Longissimus t...
This study extends our investigation of calpain-mediated proteolysis during early beef maturation using an in vitro proteolytic approach. Calpain-1 autolysis and calpastatin abundance were determined in the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and Extensor carpi radialis (ER) muscles of carcasses aged 0, 1, 2, 7, and 14 d postmortem. Samples were powdered and added to myofibrils in an in vitro digestion protocol. Aliquots were collected at 0, 120, 480, and 1440 min of incubation, and calpain-1 autolysis, calpastatin, and desmin degradation were determined. Calcium was added to determine the impact of free calcium on in vitro proteolysis at 0 and 1 d LTL. In the absence of added calcium, 0 d LTL digestions retained (P < 0.001) higher levels of intact 80 kDa calpain-1 across all timepoints, while digestions containing 7 and 14 d LTL had the highest (P < 0.001) ratios of the 76 kDa subunit. In the presence of added calcium, 0 and 1 d LTL increased (P < 0.001) the autolysis of the 80 kDa subunit (P < 0.001). Addition of calcium facilitated greater (P < 0.027) desmin degradation in 1 d LTL but not in 0 d LTL. Approximately, 25% of intact calpastatin remained in the 1 d LTL carcass timepoint, whereas 50% of intact calpastatin remained present in the ER until 2 d. ER exhibited minimal proteolysis across all timepoints analyzed. These findings suggest both calcium availability and calpastatin may limit calpain-1 activity in the first 24 h postmortem in a muscle-dependent manner.
Chitosan‑sodium alginate-thyme essential oil Pickering emulsions: Preservation efficacy and protection of myofibrillar protein structure in refrigerated pork.
Zhang H, Li X, Chen F … +1 more , Kang H
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41865452 · Publisher ↗
This study investigated the preservative efficacy of chitosan‑sodium alginate-thyme essential oil (CS-SA-TEO) Pickering emulsions in preserving the quality of pork and maintaining the structural integrity of myofibrillar...
This study investigated the preservative efficacy of chitosan‑sodium alginate-thyme essential oil (CS-SA-TEO) Pickering emulsions in preserving the quality of pork and maintaining the structural integrity of myofibrillar proteins (MPs) during a 12-day storage period at 4 °C. Changes in physicochemical indices, total viable counts, MP properties, and sensory attributes (color and odor) were systematically monitored. Results revealed a concentration-dependent effect, with the 0.6% emulsion demonstrating optimal performance. It extended the shelf life of pork by 4-6 days by significantly suppressing microbial proliferation and lipid oxidation. Moreover, the emulsion helped maintain pH stability, delayed color deterioration and off-odor formation, and enhanced water-holding capacity by suppressing water migration. Regarding MP structural integrity, the 0.6% emulsion effectively preserved MP solubility and total sulfhydryl content, reduced carbonyl group formation, and mitigated α-helix structure loss. These effects were attributed to the synergistic actions of the physical barrier formed by CS and SA, along with the free radical-scavenging and antimicrobial properties of TEO. Sensory evaluation confirmed that the emulsion effectively inhibited sensory spoilage of pork during storage. Collectively, CS-SA-TEO Pickering emulsions exhibit promising potential as natural preservatives for refrigerated pork, effectively protecting MP stability and maintaining the overall quality of the meat during cold storage.
A large-scale visual survey of beef carcass lean and fat colors for digital beef quality management.
Motoyama M, Akada K, Kobayashi J … +7 more , Tanaka Y, Kimura M, Ichikawa M, Iizuka S, Ishida S, Kobayashi S, Sasaki K
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41864143 · Publisher ↗
In response to the digital transformation, the perceived colors of lean and fat in beef carcasses were evaluated using standard methods designed for accurate color reproduction in sRGB space. Visual color evaluation was...
In response to the digital transformation, the perceived colors of lean and fat in beef carcasses were evaluated using standard methods designed for accurate color reproduction in sRGB space. Visual color evaluation was conducted at seven wholesale markets by professional beef carcass graders and a color manager, using reference color standards and a portable D65 light source. Conventional color grading was also performed using the Beef Color Standard (B.C.S.) and Beef Fat Color Standard (B.F.S.). Consequently, large-scale data suitable for digital reproduction were obtained. The mean color-perception attributes expressed in Munsell notation (H V/C) were 8.1R 3.1/8.5 for lean (n = 3279) and 7.5YR 7.9/1.9 for fat (n = 3254) colors. An analysis of the digitally reproduced colors showed that despite abundant marbling (intramuscular fat), its effect on the perceived color of lean was minimal. Therefore, it was determined that the current on-site method was suitable for evaluating beef carcasses. An analysis of color distribution, alongside conventional color grading, revealed that B.C.S. and B.F.S. remain effective even 40 years after their development, despite potential changes in beef color due to breed modifications and evolving feeding techniques. The basic data obtained in this study can support improvements to B.C.S. and B.F.S. or contribute to the development of a new beef color management framework for digital meat quality evaluation.
Novel cooking techniques and their impact on livestock meat quality: A comprehensive review of processing, eating, nutritional, and safety quality.
Liu J, Li J, Kong X … +5 more , Yang X, Chen J, Wang R, Chen X, Liu G
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41844016 · Publisher ↗
Traditional meat cooking methods, such as boiling, frying, and grilling, often lead to nutrient loss, reduced flavor, and microbiological safety risks. To enhance nutritional value and meet modern consumer demands, innov...
Traditional meat cooking methods, such as boiling, frying, and grilling, often lead to nutrient loss, reduced flavor, and microbiological safety risks. To enhance nutritional value and meet modern consumer demands, innovative technologies such as Ultrasound-Assisted Cooking (UAC), Sous Vide (SV), Microwave Cooking (MC), and Ohmic Heating (OH) have emerged. Among these, UAC improves water retention, tenderness, and flavor while delaying spoilage. SV minimizes cooking loss, preserves the natural flavor of meat, enhances tenderness and nutritional value, and ensures safety. MC increases tenderness, allows for precise pH regulation, reduces nutrient loss, and maintains microbiological safety. OH preserves color, regulates pH, and lowers microbial risks through resistive heating. Notably, techniques such as SV and MC exhibit particular promise in achieving a balanced optimization across key quality dimensions, including processing, eating, nutritional, and safety. Consequently, these technologies serve as effective alternatives to traditional methods, providing more efficient and higher-quality cooking approaches for meat processing. This review aims to: (1) elucidate the core principles of novel cooking techniques such as SV and UAC; (2) examine the impacts of these techniques on the processing quality, eating quality, nutritional quality and safety quality of livestock meat processing, while critically assessing the limitations of current technologies regarding quality enhancement; (3) propose future research directions that include the development of intelligent cooking systems. These systems must integrate advanced sensors, high-speed connectivity, and artificial intelligence algorithms, along with computer vision technology, to achieve precise control and feedback in the cooking process, thereby facilitating its large-scale industrial application.
Inhibitory effect of moisture loss on braised pork quality by rapid cooling assisted with static magnetic field.
Jia L, Qiao H, Zhu H … +5 more , Wen P, Jia Z, Wang P, Li X, Qiu J
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41825278 · Publisher ↗
This study aims to address the problem of moisture loss during vacuum cooling (VC) by employing the static magnetic field (SMF). The effect of six treatments on the cooling process and quality of braised pork was investi...
This study aims to address the problem of moisture loss during vacuum cooling (VC) by employing the static magnetic field (SMF). The effect of six treatments on the cooling process and quality of braised pork was investigated, including natural cooling (NC), air blast cooling (ABC), refrigerating cooling (RC), SMF-assisted 4 °C cooling (RC + SMF), VC, and SMF-assisted VC (VC + SMF). The findings indicated that the VC and VC + SMF cooling rates substantially exceeded those of the other groups. The VC treatment led to a significant increase in mass loss (7.32%) and a decrease in moisture content (34.56%) of braised pork compared to NC (4.02%; 39.22%), but the VC + SMF showed lower mass loss (5.78%) and higher moisture content (35.78%) than VC. This was due to the change in water distribution in pork treated with SMF assistance, which decreased the water migration rate and enabled the conversion of immobilized water into bound water, as indicated by the results of low-field nuclear magnetic resonance. The scanning electron microscopy images revealed that the muscle fiber structure of pork cooled with SMF assistance was the most intact, with a neat and dense fiber arrangement, which facilitated a higher water-holding capacity. Furthermore, the SMF-assisted treatment substantially inhibited the lightness (L*, 41.32) decline of the braised pork cooled by VC (39.77), while improving its taste and texture. The overall acceptability of sensory scores in the VC (7.13) and VC + SMF (7.63) groups considerably exceeded those of the NC (5.50) and ABC (5.88) groups. The improvement of SMF on the rapid cooling process of VC was more prominent than the slow cooling of RC. Therefore, combining the magnetic field with novel pre-cooling technology offers a highly promising strategy for the industrial cooling of precooked meat products.
Beef quality grading using rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS).
Cui Y, Perkins LS, Liu J … +9 more , Ross AB, Wang J, Jia W, Jorge-Smeding E, Neveu A, Legrand I, Ellies-Oury MP, Scollan ND, Hocquette JF
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41797203 · Publisher ↗
The Rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) technique enables real-time metabolite analysis of intact beef tissues, potentially predicting carcass traits and quality. Two 10-day aged muscles from 66 Limous...
The Rapid evaporative ionization mass spectrometry (REIMS) technique enables real-time metabolite analysis of intact beef tissues, potentially predicting carcass traits and quality. Two 10-day aged muscles from 66 Limousine cows of a specific production system, rump (m. gluteus medius, RMP, n = 63) and striploin (m. longissimus thoracis, STR, n = 57) were measured using REIMS. The REIMS outputs were used to develop classification and prediction models via orthogonal partial to latent structures-discriminant (OPLS-DA). Variables studied included carcass traits (transport distance, muscle type, EUROP conformation, carcass weight, Meat Standards Australia (MSA) marbling score), laboratory measurements (intramuscular fat (IMF) content, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), compression force), and sensory traits (untrained consumer scores and the calculated meat-eating quality score (MQ4)). Variables were divided into two binary groups based on median values. The REIMS accurately distinguished RMP from STR muscles (test accuracy = 100%), and showed strong associations with transport distance, carcass traits, and laboratory measurements (RY = 0.86-0.94; Q = 0.55-0.78; test accuracy = 41.7%-66.7%). For sensory quality traits, RMP-based models achieved test accuracies of 63.3%-73.3%, while STR-based models failed to reliably predict any traits (test accuracies <60%). Tentative identification of REIMS features reflected the distinct intrinsic metabolic characteristics between the two muscles. Sensory quality traits in RMP were predominantly influenced by molecules involved in proteolysis and energy metabolism, whereas STR traits were primarily associated with lipid metabolism. These results highlight that REIMS is a rapid, muscle-specific evaluation tool, offering a promising alternative to traditional carcass grading and beef sensory quality assessment, especially in binary classification.
Beef quality and expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism in the muscle of Nellore and Nellore × Angus steers fed whole shelled corn diets.
Teixeira PD, Casagrande DR, Rodrigues AC … +3 more , Batista ED, Coelho TC, Ladeira MM
Meat Sci · 2026 Jul · PMID 41791288 · Publisher ↗
Sixteen Nellore and Sixteen Nellore × Angus steers with an initial body weight of 353 kg ±25.3 kg were randomly assigned into 2 feeding groups: whole shelled corn without forage (WSC) or WSC with sugarcane bagasse (WSCB)...
Sixteen Nellore and Sixteen Nellore × Angus steers with an initial body weight of 353 kg ±25.3 kg were randomly assigned into 2 feeding groups: whole shelled corn without forage (WSC) or WSC with sugarcane bagasse (WSCB), to evaluate muscle chemical composition, expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, and other beef quality attributes. The first diet has 80% whole shelled corn and 20% soybean meal, and a mineral supplement (WSC). In the WSCB, 6% of corn was replaced by sugarcane bagasse. The experiment had a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Gene expression was analyzed using RT-qPCR. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of breed and diet on muscle chemical composition. There was a tendency (P = 0.10) for Nellore beef to be less tender, only 3 days after slaughter. Muscle from Nellore × Angus had higher expression (P < 0.05) of LPL, FASN, and CPT2, than in the muscle of Nellore steers. Muscle from steers fed WSC diet had higher expression of ACOX1 and lipid oxidation (P < 0.05). SREBF1 gene was expressed lower (P < 0.01) than PPARA and PPARG in the muscles of all steers. It is possible to conclude that Nellore × Angus greater expression of lipogenic and lipolytic genes, which impair intramuscular fat deposition. Moreover, the use of bagasse in a WSC diet did not upregulate SREBF1 and other lipogenic genes expression, as well as did not increase intramuscular fat.
Evaluating the additive effects of psyllium husk powder combined with micronized cold-pressed hemp seed cake on the quality profile and in vitro digestibility of reduced-phosphate frankfurters.
Zhao J, Yao X, Ma Y … +4 more , Yao K, Zhang H, Liu Q, Cao C
Meat Sci · 2026 Jun · PMID 41762771 · Publisher ↗
This study was designed to investigate the effects of psyllium husk powder (PHP) combined with micronized cold-pressed hemp seed cake (MCPHSC), which is put forward as an alternative to phosphates, on the quality attribu...
This study was designed to investigate the effects of psyllium husk powder (PHP) combined with micronized cold-pressed hemp seed cake (MCPHSC), which is put forward as an alternative to phosphates, on the quality attributes and in vitro digestibility of reduced-phosphate frankfurters. The results showed that the co-addition of PHP and MCPHSC induced a significant reduction in cooking loss and a marked improvement of emulsion stability in reduced-phosphate frankfurters (P < 0.05). Moreover, an appropriate PHP concentration (1.0%, w/w) in conjunction with MCPHSC notably increased the hardness, springiness, and chewiness of the frankfurters (P < 0.05), a result corroborated by microstructure observations. Additionally, the incorporation of PHP and MCPHSC drove the transition from α-helix to β-sheet structures in reduced-phosphate frankfurters. Sensory evaluation further revealed that reduced-phosphate frankfurters supplemented with 1.0% PHP and 3.0% MCPHSC attained higher sensory scores than the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the addition of 1.0% PHP and 3.0% MCPHSC led to a significant increase in the in vitro protein digestibility of reduced-phosphate frankfurters (P < 0.05). The findings from our study suggest that the combination of PHP and MCPHSC is a practicable strategy for creating reduced-phosphate frankfurters that have improved textural properties and in vitro digestibility.
Species synergy effects on milky aroma are conditioned by moisture-gradient driven pore evolution of protein-fat networks in fermented sausages.
Song F, Li R, Zhang D … +4 more , Zhao J, Yao Y, Zhang N, Rong L
Meat Sci · 2026 Jun · PMID 41762609 · Publisher ↗
This study investigates the role of protein-fat networks in milky aroma formation in fermented sausages. Three species compositions, CK (uninoculated control), NJM (Lactobacillus paracasei YL-1, Staphylococcus equorum NY...
This study investigates the role of protein-fat networks in milky aroma formation in fermented sausages. Three species compositions, CK (uninoculated control), NJM (Lactobacillus paracasei YL-1, Staphylococcus equorum NY-3, Staphylococcus xylosus E-2), and QB (NJM plus Debaryomyces hansenii F4), were used under controlled temperature and humidity to create moisture gradients. The QB group had the highest aroma compound levels and strongest milky aroma (7.86/9). A significant increase in key milky aroma compounds, 3-hydroxy-2-butanone and 2,3-butanediol, was observed between days 21 and 28 (P < 0.05). These compounds were associated with the transition of protein-fat networks from sol to gel structure, and converting free water into bound water. The resulting conditions optimized water activity (a) for aroma-producing Staphylococcus, while also supporting the synergistic activity of D. hansenii and L. paracasei in aroma accumulation. In the early stages, both pH and moisture gradients influenced the pore structure, with moisture gradients dominating later.
Nitrite reduction in cooked ham: an organoleptic and food safety concern?
Nunes MJM, Pereira RC, Noronha L … +10 more , Cruz I, Komora N, Barbosa JB, P Monteiro MJ, Ribas TCF, Mesquita RBR, Rangel AOSS, Carvalho F, Brandão TRS, Teixeira P
Meat Sci · 2026 Jun · PMID 41762608 · Publisher ↗
Cooked meat products, particularly ham, are widely consumed, and reducing nitrite levels has become a priority due to health concerns and regulatory pressure. This study evaluated the microbiological safety, technologica...
Cooked meat products, particularly ham, are widely consumed, and reducing nitrite levels has become a priority due to health concerns and regulatory pressure. This study evaluated the microbiological safety, technological performance, physicochemical properties, and sensory attributes of whole cooked ham formulated with reduced nitrite (from 150 to 80 ppm) during shelf life. Microbiological analyses were conducted every 15 days, including total viable counts (TVC), lactic acid bacteria (LAB), Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. TVC and LAB remained below the safety threshold (<10 CFU/g), while all other parameters were below detection limits. Sulphite reducing Clostridium spores, Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes were absent from all samples. Challenge testing with L. monocytogenes and Clostridium sporogenes was performed to assess the product's ability to inhibit pathogen growth under simulated storage conditions (up 35 and 90 days, respectively) and temperature abuse conditions (8 °C). The reduced-nitrite ham formulation effectively inhibited the growth of C. sporogenes and delayed the growth of L. monocytogenes. Technological assessments included colour measurements, water retention capacity, and texture profile analysis (TPA), with no significant differences observed between the standard and nitrite reduced formulations (P > 0.05). Physicochemical parameters such as pH (6.0-6.2), water activity (a, 0.9669-0.9482), and residual nitrite content (4 to 1 mg/kg) were evaluated at 0, 45 and 90 days. These findings demonstrate that reducing nitrite levels to 80 ppm can ensure the product safety and quality, as evidenced by stable physicochemical properties and the preservation of sensory characteristics such as appearance, odour, texture, and flavour.
About
- Frequency
- Sun
- Papers found
- 200
- RSS feed
- Subscribe