Pork meat prepared by different cooking methods. A microstructural, sensorial and physicochemical approach

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Science
• Sensory Analysis

Background:

• Cooking methods significantly impact meat quality.
• Understanding these impacts is crucial for the food industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effects of four cooking methods on pork quality.
• To compare microstructural, sensory, and physicochemical properties.

Main Methods:

• Pork was cooked using pan, ohmic, vacuum, and sous vide methods to a 70°C endpoint.
• Microstructural, sensory, and physicochemical analyses were performed.

Main Results:

• Pan-cooked pork was softer and preferred by consumers.
• Ohmic cooking resulted in firmer, more aligned myofibrils, and a golden color.
• Sous vide and vacuum cooking led to less desirable sensory attributes (insipid, dry, pale) and structural changes.

Conclusions:

• Consumers favored pan-cooked pork for its sensory attributes.
• Ohmic cooking offers a time-efficient alternative with comparable meat quality to pan-cooking.
• Results suggest ohmic cooking's potential in the catering industry.