High pressure/thermal treatment effects on the texture of beef muscle

The effects of high pressure (to 800 MPa) applied at different temperatures (20-70 °C) for 20 min on beef post-rigor longissimus dorsi texture were studied. Texture profile analysis showed that when heated at ambient pressure there was the expected increase in hardness with increasing temperature and when pressure was applied at room temperature there was again the expected increase in hardness with increasing pressure. Similar results to those found at ambient temperature were found when pressure was applied at 40 °C. However, at higher temperatures, 60 and 70 °C it was found that pressures of 200 MPa caused large and significant decreases in hardness. The results found for hardness were mirrored by those for gumminess and chewiness. To further understand the changes in texture observed, intact beef longissimus dorsi samples and extracted myofibrils were both subjected to differential scanning calorimetry after being subjected to the same pressure/temperature regimes. As expected collagen was reasonably inert to pressure and only at temperatures of 60-70 °C was it denatured/unfolded. However, myosin was relatively easily unfolded by both pressure and temperature and when pressure denatured a new and modified structure was formed of low thermal stability. Although this new structure had low thermal stability at ambient pressure it still formed in both the meat and myofibrils when pressure was applied at 60 °C. It seems unlikely that structurally induced changes can be a major cause of the significant loss of hardness observed when beef is treated at high temperature (60-70 °C) and 200 MPa and it is suggested that accelerated proteolysis under these conditions is the major cause.