Method for improving tenderness of raw meat and meat product by mechanical vibration

Abstract

The present disclosure discloses a method for improving tenderness of raw meat and meat products by mechanical vibration. In the method, the raw meat is vibrated to loosen meat tissue and improve meat tenderness, or is vibrated during curing to reduce curing time while improving the tenderness. The method mechanically vibrates the raw meat to loosen the structure of the raw meat, and ultimately improves the meat tenderness; or vibrates during curing to improve the tenderness while reducing the curing time, effectively ensuring the sensory meat quality. The method of the present disclosure not only effectively solves the problem of the tenderness of meat and meat products, but also improves sensory quality and safety thereof, enables wider popularization and utilization of meat and meat products, and directly increases economic benefits of enterprises and opens up a new way for future development thereof.

Claims

1. A method for improving tenderness of raw meat and meat products by mechanical vibration, the method comprising the steps of: (1) cutting the raw meat into 1.5-2 cm thick meat pieces; (2) vibrating the raw meat to loosen meat tissue and improve meat tenderness, or is vibrating the raw meat during curing in a container to reduce curing time while improving the tenderness; the vibrating being conducted under the following conditions: raw meat vibration: frequency 30-50 Hz, amplitude 1-4 mm, and vibration time 0.5-3 h; vibration during curing: frequency 30-50 Hz, amplitude 1-4 mm, vibration time 0.5-2 h; and (3) packaging the vibrated raw meat at 0-4° C.; or taking the vibrated cured meat out of the container, draining water off, packaging the vibrated cured meat at 0-4° C., and quick-freezing the packaged vibrated cured meat at a temperature of −18 to −15° C.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the raw meat is yak meat, beef, lamb or poultry.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the raw meat during curing is cured with a composition that contains the following ingredients by weight: 17 parts of edible salt, 0.6 parts of monosodium glutamate, 0.007 parts of sodium nitrite, 0.022 parts of sodium D-isoascorbate, and 0.16 parts of spices in which the spices include, by weight: 2 parts of ginger essential oil, 3 parts of zanthoxylum oil, 3 parts of cinnamon essential oil, 6 parts of cumin essential oil, 2 parts of nutmeg essential oil, and 3 parts of clove essential oil.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) FIGS. 1A-1D is a scanning electron microscope (SEM) image (500×) of myofibrils of the longissimus dorsi muscle of a yak under different treatment conditions.

(2) In the FIGURES, FIG. 1A: control (standing) group, FIG. 1B: vibration group, FIG. 1C: standing group with curing agent, FIG. 1D: vibration group with curing agent.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) The present disclosure will be described in detail below in conjunction with embodiments. Technical solution for improving the tenderness of raw meat or seasoned meat through vibration (take yak meat as an example):

Embodiment 1: Raw Cut Yak Steak

(4) Yak meat was cleaned, shaped, sliced, vibrated, and then quick-frozen to produce raw cut steaks. The specific process was as follows:

(5) (1) Raw material selection and finishing: Healthy and disease-free fresh yak meat was selected to remove surface fat and debris, washed and cut into 1.5-2 cm thick meat pieces.

(6) (2) Vibration: The cut meat was directly placed on the vibration equipment, and vibrated at a frequency of 40 Hz and an amplitude of 3 mm for 2.5 h.

(7) (3) Packaging: The meat pieces were taken out, drained, and vacuum-packed into raw cut yak steaks at 0-4° C.

Embodiment 2 Seasoned Meat Products

(8) Firstly, yak meat was cleaned, shaped, cured, vibrated, and then quick-frozen to produce various quick-frozen seasoned meat products. The specific process was as follows:

(9) (1) Raw materials selection and finishing: Healthy and disease-free fresh yak meat was selected to remove surface fat and debris, washed and cut into 1.5-2.5 cm thick meat pieces.

(10) (2) Curing: The processed meat was mixed with curing agent and put into a ziplock bag. Components in the curing agent were proportioned by weight: 17 parts of edible salt, 0.6 parts of monosodium glutamate, 0.007 parts of sodium nitrite, 0.022 parts of sodium D-isoascorbate, and 0.16 parts of spices, where components of the spices are proportioned by weight: 2 parts of ginger essential oil, 3 parts of zanthoxylum oil, 3 parts of cinnamon essential oil, 6 parts of cumin essential oil, 2 parts of nutmeg essential oil, and 3 parts of clove essential oil. The formula of the curing agent is not limited thereto, and the formula and dosage thereof can be adjusted as required in the actual operation process, and other curing agents can also be used.

(11) (3) Vibration: The ziplock bag with meat piece was placed on the vibration equipment, and vibrated at a frequency of 40 Hz and an amplitude of 3 mm for 1.5 h.

(12) (4) Packaging and quick freezing: The meat pieces were taken out, drained, and vacuum-packed at 0-4° C. Using quick-freezing technology, the frozen food should reach a core temperature below −18 to −15° C.

(13) (5) Heating and eating: After thawing at room temperature, the product can be shredded or diced according to personal preference, and fried according to the general household frying method before eating. The product can also be roasted and eaten.

Embodiment 3: Raw Cut Yak Steak

(14) Yak meat was cleaned, shaped, sliced, vibrated, and then quick-frozen to produce raw cut steaks. The specific process was as follows:

(15) (1) Raw materials selection and finishing: Healthy and disease-free fresh yak meat was selected to remove surface fat and debris, washed and cut into 1.5-2 cm thick meat pieces.

(16) (2) Vibration: The cut meat was directly placed on the vibration equipment, and vibrated at a frequency of 30 Hz and an amplitude of 2 mm for 3 h.

(17) (3) Packaging: The meat pieces were taken out, drained, and vacuum-packed into raw cut yak steaks at 0-4° C.

Embodiment 4 Seasoned Meat Products

(18) Firstly, yak meat was cleaned, shaped, cured, vibrated, and then quick-frozen to produce various quick-frozen seasoned meat products. The specific process was as follows:

(19) (1) Raw materials selection and finishing: Healthy and disease-free fresh yak meat was selected to remove surface fat and debris, washed and cut into 1.5-2.5 cm thick meat pieces.

(20) (2) Curing: The processed meat was mixed with curing agent and put into a ziplock bag. Components in the curing agent were proportioned by weight: 17 parts of edible salt, 0.6 parts of monosodium glutamate, 0.007 parts of sodium nitrite, 0.022 parts of sodium D-isoascorbate, and 0.16 parts of spices, where components of the spices are proportioned by weight: 2 parts of ginger essential oil, 3 parts of zanthoxylum oil, 3 parts of cinnamon essential oil, 6 parts of cumin essential oil, 2 parts of nutmeg essential oil, and 3 parts of clove essential oil.

(21) (3) Vibration: The ziplock bag with meat piece was placed on the vibration equipment, and vibrated at a frequency of 30 Hz and an amplitude of 2 mm for 2 h.

(22) (4) Packaging and quick freezing: The meat pieces were taken out, drained, and vacuum-packed at 0-4° C. Using quick-freezing technology, the frozen food should reach a core temperature below −18 to −15° C.

(23) (5) Heating and eating: After thawing at room temperature, the product can be shredded or diced according to personal preference, and fried according to the general household frying method before eating. The product can also be roasted and eaten.

Embodiment 5: Raw Cut Yak Steak

(24) Yak meat was cleaned, shaped, sliced, vibrated, and then quick-frozen to produce raw cut steaks. The specific process was as follows:

(25) (1) Raw materials selection and finishing: Healthy and disease-free fresh yak meat was selected to remove surface fat and debris, washed and cut into 1.5-2 cm thick meat pieces.

(26) (2) Vibration: The cut meat was directly placed on the vibration equipment, and vibrated at a frequency of 50 Hz and an amplitude of 4 mm for 1 h.

(27) (3) Packaging: The meat pieces were taken out, drained, and vacuum-packed into raw cut yak steaks at 0-4° C.

Embodiment 6 Seasoned Meat Products

(28) Firstly, yak meat was cleaned, shaped, cured, vibrated, and then quick-frozen to produce various quick-frozen seasoned meat products. The specific process was as follows:

(29) (1) Raw materials selection and finishing: Healthy and disease-free fresh yak meat was selected to remove surface fat and debris, washed and cut into 1.5-2.5 cm thick meat pieces.

(30) (2) Curing: The processed meat was mixed with curing agent and put into a ziplock bag. Components in the curing agent were proportioned by weight: 17 parts of edible salt, 0.6 parts of monosodium glutamate, 0.007 parts of sodium nitrite, 0.022 parts of sodium D-isoascorbate, and 0.16 parts of spices, where components of the spices are proportioned by weight: 2 parts of ginger essential oil, 3 parts of zanthoxylum oil, 3 parts of cinnamon essential oil, 6 parts of cumin essential oil, 2 parts of nutmeg essential oil, and 3 parts of clove essential oil.

(31) (3) Vibration: The ziplock bag with meat piece was placed on the vibration equipment, and vibrated at a frequency of 50 Hz and an amplitude of 4 mm for 0.5 h.

(32) (4) Packaging and quick freezing: The meat pieces were taken out, drained, and vacuum-packed at 0-4° C. Using quick-freezing technology, the frozen food should reach a core temperature below −18 to −15° C.

(33) (5) Heating and eating: After thawing at room temperature, the product can be shredded or diced according to personal preference, and fried according to the general household frying method before eating. The product can also be roasted and eaten.

(34) Test Results

(35) A control (standing) group, a vibration group (Embodiment 1), a standing group with curing agent, and a vibration group with curing agent (Embodiment 2) were set up. In the control (standing) group, other conditions were the same as those in Embodiment 1 except for the non-vibration standing treatment; in the vibration group with curing agent, other conditions were the same as those in Embodiment 2 except for the non-vibration standing treatment. Among them, the myofibril fragmentation index of the vibration group was reduced by about 20% compared with that of the control (standing) group. The following is the change of the yak-colored shear force value:

(36) TABLE-US-00001 Age/year Control group/N Vibration group/N 3-4 50-70 40-50 6-7 80-95 50-65 9 100-120 70-90

(37) Ultrastructural changes of each treatment group are shown in FIGS. 1A-1D.

(38) The results show that the method of the present disclosure mechanically vibrates the raw meat to loosen the structure of the raw meat, and ultimately improves the meat tenderness; or vibrates during curing to improve the tenderness while reducing the curing time, effectively ensuring the sensory meat quality. It is shown that the method of the present disclosure not only effectively solves the problem of the tenderness of meat and meat products, but also improves sensory quality and safety thereof, enables wider popularization and utilization of meat and meat products, and directly increases economic benefits of enterprises and opens up a new way for future development thereof.