Effects of ultrasound‐assisted intermittent tumbling on the quality of cooked ham through modifying muscle structure and protein extraction

Abstract

BACKGROUNDTumbling treatment is widely used in the production of cooked ham. However, the traditional intermittent tumbling (IT) treatment is time‐consuming. To enhance the tumbling efficiency, high‐intensity ultrasound (HIU) was used to assist IT treatment (UIT).RESULTSThe UIT treatment reduced the tumbling time and significantly improved the water‐holding capacity (WHC), tenderness, sliceability and texture of cooked ham compared to the IT treatment. Furthermore, more violent destructions of the meat tissue were exhibited in the UIT treatment. This change facilitated more salt‐soluble protein (SSP) to be extracted, which in turn welded meat pieces tightly and improved the quality of the cooked ham.CONCLUSIONThe UIT treatment could accelerate the tumbling process and enhance the quality of cooked ham. These results may provide the guidance on effective strategies for high quality meat production process.This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.