Non-Destructive Prediction of NaCl Content in Pork During Ultrasound-Assisted Marination: Multiphysics Simulation and...

This study investigated the effects of ultrasound-assisted marination on NaCl diffusion in pork using multiphysics simulation and evaluated the accuracy of electrical impedance spectroscopy for predicting NaCl content during marination. The results showed that short-term ultrasonic treatment did not significantly enhance moisture diffusion from brine into pork tissue. However, multiphysics simulation demonstrated that ultrasound significantly accelerated NaCl penetration, enabling a reduced brine concentration without compromising the final salt content, as further confirmed by thermogravimetric analysis, which showed higher residual NaCl and mass in treated samples. Electrical impedance properties exhibited systematic changes with increasing ultrasonic marination time, including decreased impedance, increased phase angle, and a reduced Cole-Cole arc radius, reflecting enhanced NaCl diffusion and structural modifications in muscle tissue. A strong linear correlation between impedance parameters and NaCl content was established, and validation results confirmed that impedance spectroscopy can accurately predict NaCl levels during marination. These findings highlight the potential of combining ultrasound-assisted marination with impedance-based techniques for real-time, non-destructive monitoring of salt content in meat processing.