Further Processed and Value-Added Capabilities

Hydrodynamic pressure processing (HDP) is an effective way of tenderizing fresh and previously frozen meat cuts (Solomon, 1998b).  However, the effect of HDP for processed meats has not been fully examined.  It is expected that when processed meat products are treated with HDP, similar improvements in tenderness and textural consistency will be achieved. The mechanisms providing tenderization, the tearing of critical bonds and myofibrillar proteins (Zuckerman and Solomon, 1998), may result in improvements in protein functionality.  With processed meat products, protein functionality refers to the ability for the proteins to bind to other proteins to form a protein matrix and to bind water or fat, in the case of an emulsion sausage such as frankfurters.  By treating raw materials designated for use in further processed meat products with HDP, it is expected that improved functionality will lead to the development of new uniquely textured products and also provide costs savings for the processor and consumer. The application of HDP to finished processed meat products is expected to have similar improvement to tenderness and consistency as with whole muscle cuts. It is unknown if the best utilization of the HDP process is its application to the raw materials before processing or to the finished product. By evaluating the HDP application to both the raw materials and the finished products, determination of where the HDP process should be incorporated into meat processing systems can be attained. The use of HDP along with companion preservation techniques and ingredients will be evaluated to produce new value-added products.  Alternative pressure systems that show promising results in Objective 1 will also be evaluated for their effect on the raw materials, ingredients and further processed meat products.

The effects of HDP on raw materials prior to further processing will be evaluated within a wide range of meat products from minimally processed to complex processed products. HDP technology will be investigated in the following products: marinated roasts, restructured muscle products, hams, cooked/smoked coarse ground sausage and emulsion type sausages. With the most minimally processed product, a marinade containing salt, flavorings and water is injected into a whole muscle. Marination has the ability to tenderize meat products, thus the combination of the two processes is expected to significantly improve the tenderness of the whole muscle product. In production of restructured muscle products, the muscle is broken down into smaller pieces and then recombined into roasts and steaks. Long term effects of HDP can be evaluated on the intermolecular forces that binds the restructured meat product together. With the hams, cooked/smoked coarse ground sausage and emulsion type sausages, all products are fully cooked and ready for consumption. However, the complexity of these processing systems are varied by the size of muscle pieces and types of ingredients utilized. By incorporating the HDP treated muscles into the different meat systems, a better understanding of how HDP affects the muscle may ultimately benefit the finished product. Products will be produced from both fresh and previously frozen meat sources.

During processing, important parameters to the meat processors, such as yields (processing and/or cooking), will be measured. Consistency and tenderness improvements of the finished products will be studied through the use of instrumental and sensory methods. Product quality traits, such as shelf life and color analysis, will be conducted. Chemical tests to evaluate the possible changes in protein functionality, such as water holding capacity, gelation, emulsion stability, and myofibrillar and sarcoplasmic protein solubility, will also be evaluated.