Impact of high voltage electrostatic field under varied storage temperatures: Focusing on protein oxidation and...

The quality deterioration of chicken meat during cold chain storage caused by protein oxidation and structural damage were addressed aiming to investigate the synergistic preservation effect of a high voltage electrostatic field (HVEF) combined with controlled freezing-point storage. Chicken meat was stored under four conditions: controlled freezing-point temperature (-0.5 ± 0.1 °C) with HVEF (CH group), controlled freezing-point control (-0.5 ± 0.1 °C, CC group), refrigeration (0 ± 0.1 °C) with HVEF (RH group) and refrigeration control (0 ± 0.1 °C, RC group). A systematic evaluation was conducted to assess changes in protein carbonyl content, total sulfhydryl content, myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI), particle size, secondary and tertiary structures of proteins and the microscopic morphology of the chicken meat during storage. The results indicated that HVEF treatment effectively delayed protein oxidation, as evidenced by the inhibition of carbonyl formation and sulfhydryl loss. It also mitigated protein aggregation and degradation, demonstrated by a slower increase in MFI and particle size. Furthermore, HVEF treatment better maintained the stability of protein secondary structures, slowed down the unfolding of protein tertiary structures, and preserved the integrity of muscle microstructure. Among all treatments, the synergistic combination of HVEF and controlled freezing-point storage at -0.5 ± 0.1 °C (CH group) demonstrated the most optimal protective effect. This study elucidated the synergistic preservation mechanism of HVEF and controlled freezing-point temperature at both the molecular level of proteins and the microstructural level of chicken meat. It provided a theoretical foundation for developing novel, green physical technologies aimed at mitigating protein oxidative damage and enhancing the storage quality of chicken meat.