Abstract:

Low-temperature meat products are the main development direction of meat processing in the future in China. However their processing qualities such as cooking yield, water-holding capacity, texture characteristics and sensory characteristics are influenced differently by some mechanical treatments including tumbling, mechanical tenderization, brine injection and chopping. This paper reviews the current applications of mechanical treatments in the processing of low-temperature meat products. Low temperature and high vacuum tumble technology being widely used at home and abroad can shorten the curing time and improve product textural properties. The textural properties, water binding capacity, cooking yield of the products obtained through pressure-transform tumbling are better than those of the products obtained through low temperature and high vacuum tumbling. Besides, the bacteriostatic effect of pressure-transform tumbling is better than that of low temperature and high vacuum tumbling. Pre-tumbling treatment combined with other mechanical treatments can reduce the total massaging time, improve brine penetration and increase product yield. Mechanical tenderization can destruct muscle tissue, reduce shearing value and improve the sensory tenderness of a product. Brine injection is capable of accelerating brine penetration and increasing product yield, and the composition and concentration of brine and pump rates affect product quality. The textural characteristics of an emulsification-type product are remarkably influenced by final chopping temperature.

Key words: low-temperature meat products, tumbling, mechanical tenderization, injection, chopping