The use of dielectric properties and other physical analyses for assessing protein denaturation in beef biceps femoris muscle during cooking from 5 to 85°C.

Dielectric properties of beef biceps femoris muscle were recorded during heating (5-85°C) to assess their linkage to phase changes monitored by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and rheology. DSC indicated endotherms between 56 and 81°C corresponding to denaturation of actin, collagen and myosin. Matching changes in dielectric properties (dielectric constant (ε') and loss factor (ε″)) were noted at radio and/or microwave frequencies though the nature of the change differed depending upon frequency. The main observation in ε' was an increase above 65-66°C, most likely due to fluid release on collagen denaturation. This fluid plus liquid from myosin denaturation most likely solvated ions freed during myosin denaturation which manifested as an ε″ increase. However, it must be noted that meat structural protein denaturation is compounded with physical shrinkage which can also influence dielectric properties. Rheological parameters of beef muscle heated from 5 to 85°C also displayed marked changes relating to structural protein denaturation.

[1]  M. Ruusunen,et al.  Pork Quality: Genetic and Metabolic Factors. , 1993 .

[2]  W. B. Westphal,et al.  DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES OF CARBOHYDRATE-WATER MIXTURES AT MICROWAVE FREQUENCIES , 1972 .

[3]  D. E. Johnston,et al.  The chemistry of muscle-based foods , 1992 .

[4]  K. V. Gilbert,et al.  Temperature‐dependent cooking toughness in beef , 1974 .

[5]  L. Costa,et al.  Dielectric method for the determination of aw , 2003 .

[6]  James G. Lyng,et al.  THE INFLUENCE OF COMPOSITIONAL CHANGES IN BEEFBURGERS ON THEIR TEMPERATURES AND THEIR THERMAL AND DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES DURING MICROWAVE HEATING , 2002 .

[7]  J. Trinick,et al.  On the mechanism of water holding in meat: The swelling and shrinking of myofibrils. , 1983, Meat science.

[8]  S. Lonergan,et al.  Effects of pork collagen on thermal and viscoelastic properties of purified porcine myofibrillar protein gels. , 2004, Meat science.

[9]  B. Egelandsdal,et al.  Rheological parameters as predictors of protein functionality: A model study using myofibrils of different fibre-type composition. , 1995, Meat science.

[10]  J. R. Bendall,et al.  The cooking of single myofibres, small myofibre bundles and muscle strips from beef M. psoas and M. sternomandibularis muscles at varying heating rates and temperatures. , 1983, Meat science.

[11]  K. Foster,et al.  Anisotropy in the dielectric properties of skeletal muscle , 2006, Medical and Biological Engineering and Computing.

[12]  J. Lyng,et al.  Dielectric and thermophysical properties of meat batters over a temperature range of 5-85 °C. , 2004, Meat science.

[13]  G.S.V. Raghavan,et al.  An Overview of Microwave Processing and Dielectric Properties of Agri-food Materials , 2004 .

[14]  C. Biliaderis.  Differential scanning calorimetry in food research—A review☆ , 1983 .

[15]  D. Felbacq,et al.  Modeling microwave electromagnetic field absorption in muscle tissues , 2002 .

[16]  S. Barbut,et al.  Influence of Sodium, Potassium and Magnesium Chloride on Thermal Properties of Beef Muscle , 1991 .

[17]  François Henry,et al.  Free and/or bound water by dielectric measurements , 2003 .

[18]  P. Torley,et al.  Rheological changes during isothermal holding of salted beef homogenates. , 1995, Meat science.

[19]  T. F. Brocklehurst,et al.  NMR Water Relaxation, Water Activity and Bacterial Survival in Porous Media , 1996 .

[20]  A. Fisher,et al.  Effects of fatty acids on meat quality: a review. , 2004, Meat science.

[21]  Jean-Louis Damez,et al.  Water activity and dielectric properties of gels in the frequency range 200 MHz–6 GHz , 2003 .

[22]  S. Barringer,et al.  Determination of Protein Denaturation of Muscle Foods Using the Dielectric Properties , 2002 .

[23]  E. Dransfield.  Intramuscular composition and texture of beef muscles , 1977 .