Stepwise chilling adapted to commercial conditions - improving tenderness of pork without compromising water-holding capacity.

摘要

The possibility of commercially implementing a stepwise chilling process to improve tenderness without compromising the water-holding capacity (WHC) of pork was investigated in this study. A stepwise chilling process, Step10; tunnel chilling at --23 degrees C/3 ms--1 to reach 10 degrees C carcass temperature, a 6-h holding period at 10 degrees C followed chilling at 4 degrees C; n = 28, was compared with conventional tunnel chilling (n = 28). Substantial temperature differences between Step 10 and control carcasses were obtained in the M. longissimus dorsi at 8-h post mortem.Tenderness was more than two sensory units higher (more tender) in the Step10 carcasses than in the control carcasses (P < 0.001) without compromising drip loss or colour. In conclusion, the tested stepwise chilling process improved tenderness without compromising WHC under potential commercial conditions