Sous vide, a culinary technique for improving quality of food products: A review

Food contaminants: Impact of food processing, challenges and mitigation strategies for food security

Food preparation involves the blending of various food ingredients to make more convenient processed food products. It is a long chain process, where each stage posing a risk of accumulating hazardous contaminants in these food systems. Protecting the public health from contaminated foods has become a demanding task in ensuring food safety. This review focused on the causes, types, and health risks of contaminants or hazardous chemicals during food processing. The impact of cooking such as frying, grilling, roasting, and baking, which may lead to the formation of hazardous by-products, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), heterocyclic amines (HCAs), acrylamide, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), furan, acrolein, nitrosamines, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and trans-fatty acids (TFAs). Potential health risks such as carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and cardiovascular effects are emerging as a major problem in the modern lifestyle era due to the increased uptakes of contaminants. Effects of curing, smoking, and fermentation of the meat products led to affect the sensory and nutritional characteristics of meat products. Selecting appropriate cooking methods include temperature, time and the consumption of the food are major key factors that should be considered to avoid the excess level intake of hazardous contaminants. Overall, this study underscores the importance of understanding the risks associated with food preparation methods, strategies for minimizing the formation of harmful compounds during food processing and highlights the need for healthy dietary choices to mitigate potential health hazards.

Impact of adding papain to sous vide cooking on texture and sensorial traits of marinated semitendinosus beefsteaks

Sous vide meat is an emerging food category, the consumption of which has increased owing to greater convenience, sensory traits, elderly consumers acceptance, and low-cost cuts use. However, required prolonged thermal treatment to achieve desired tenderness, impact energy-consumption besides triggering lipid oxidation, undesired off-flavors, and cooked meat profiles. Using a response surface methodology (RSM), this study evaluated the effects of the vegetal proteolytic papain (0 to 20 mg/kg) and low-temperature sous vide cooking (SVC) time (1 to 8 h at 65°C) in low-value marinated M. semitendinosus beefsteaks on technological characteristics associated with tenderness, and lipid oxidation. Additionally, the sensory profile traits of the pre-selected treatments were described using check-all-that-apply (CATA) and preference mapping. Shear force (WBsSF) was reduced with greater papain addition, whereas higher cooking losses (CL) were observed with longer SVC cooking times. Both the released total collagen and TBARS values increased with increasing papain concentrations and SVC times. Combining high levels of papain (>10 mg/kg) and SVC time (>6 h) resulted in lower WBsSF values (<20 N) but higher CL (>27%) and the CATA descriptors "aftertaste" and "mushy." The optimized conditions (14 mg/kg papain; 2 h SVC) also reduced WBsSF values (<26 N) with lower CL (<20%) and were most preferred and described as "juicy" and "tender" by consumers. Observed results suggest that combined mild SVC and papain may potentiate tenderness, conjointly favor juiciness and oxidation, further representing a promising tool for reducing SVC time without compromising valued sous vide sensory traits.

Influence of Cooking Technique on Bioaccessibility of Bioactive Compounds in Vegetable Lentil Soup

Vegetables and legume soups contain various essential and bioactive constituents such as vitamin C, carotenoids, and phenolics. Antioxidant activity characteristics related to those compounds are well known to contribute profusely to human health. The cooking technique affects the bioavailability of nutrients and bioactive compounds, making it crucial to explore optimal alternatives to maximize them. The objective of this study was to explore the influence of different cooking techniques (boiling, pressure cooking, sous-vide, and cook-vide) on the physicochemical properties and bioactive characteristics of a ready-to-eat vegetable lentil soup. For this, the bioaccessibility of those compounds was assessed through an in vitro simulated gastrointestinal methodology. The firmness of vegetables was established to define treatments' cooking times, allowing subsequent comparison of the nutritional and functional properties of the soups. The color of vegetables was also evaluated as a quality parameter, which contributed to providing a global vision of the process impact. The results revealed that in vitro digestion (IVD) caused a decrease in all bioactive compound determinations for all cooking treatments of up to 72% for total phenols, 92% for lycopene, 98% for carotenoids, and 100% for vitamin C. Additionally, the antioxidant activity of the soups after thermal treatment improved up to 46% measured by the DPPH method. This study emphasizes the importance of considering the digestion process in the selection of the most adequate cooking technique. After IVD, traditional cooking (boiling) reached the maximum total carotenoid and lycopene contents; cook-vide and pressure-cooking techniques provided the highest total phenol content, showing these three techniques to have the maximum antioxidant capacity.

Advances and Drawbacks of Sous-Vide Technique-A Critical Review

The sous-vide (SV) technique, notable for its precision and ability to preserve food quality, has become a transformative method in culinary arts. This review examines the technical aspects, applications, and limitations of SV, focusing on its impact on food safety, nutritional retention, and quality parameters across various food matrices such as meats, seafood, vegetables, and semi-prepared products. Through an extensive literature review, the study highlights the use of natural inhibitors and essential oils to enhance microbial safety and explores the nutritional benefits of SV in preserving vitamins and minerals. The findings suggest that while SV offers significant benefits in terms of consistent results and extended shelf life, challenges remain in terms of equipment costs and the necessity for specific training, and although sufficient for food preparation/processing, its effectiveness in eliminating microbial pathogens, including viruses, parasites, and vegetative and spore forms of bacteria, is limited. Overall, the research underscores SV's adaptability and potential for culinary innovation, aligning with modern demands for food safety, quality, and nutritional integrity.

Effects of Sous-vide Cooking Temperature on Triceps Brachii of Black Goats

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of sous-vide cooking temperature on the triceps brachii of black goats. Triceps brachii of black goats (12 months) were sous-vide cooked at 55°C, 60°C, and 65°C. The samples were examined for color, scanning electron microscope photographs, sarcomere length, fiber cross-sectional area, cooking yield, shear force, sensory evaluation, and aromatic profile. The results showed that CIE a*, CIE b*, and chroma increased with increasing sous-vide cooking temperature. However, the cooking yield significantly decreased with increasing sous-vide cooking temperature, and the shear forces of the 60°C and 65°C samples showed no significant differences. For sensory evaluation, the 60°C sample showed the highest scores for flavor, texture, and off-flavor. Furthermore, the 60°C sample showed the significantly lowest value of octadienone (aroma characteristics of metallic) intensity (p<0.05). Therefore, sous-vide cooking of triceps brachii of black goats at 60°C is effective in reducing off-flavor and improving tenderness.

Development of Chinese-Style Sausage Enriched with Djulis (Chenopodium formosanum Koidz) Using Taguchi Method: Applying Modern Optimization to Indigenous People's Traditional Food

Djulis (Taiwanese quinoa) has gained popularity among researchers due to its biological characteristics and rich nutritional value. Incorporating Djulis is expected to enhance the sausage's texture, flavor, and storage stability due to the presence of antioxidants and nutritional components. However, limited studies focus on product development based on this emerging health-promoting ingredient in the food industry. This study aims to develop Chinese-style sausage enriched with Djulis using the Taguchi L9(34) orthogonal matrix methodology and evaluate the influence of four factors, including un-hulled to hulled Djulis ratios of 0, 50, 100% (A), backfat-to-lean meat ratios of 0/100, 30/70, 50/50% (B), cooking temperature of 55, 75, 95 °C (C), and nitrite content of 0.03, 0.05, 0.07 g/kg (D) on products' sensory and physicochemical properties. The optimal Taguchi formulation was then verified and compared with conventionally formulated sausage (original sausage) in terms of hardness, springiness, gumminess, CIE color values, and peroxide value (POV). The optimal formulation was A3B2C2D3, which consisted of 16.8% hulled Djulis, 30/70 backfat-to-lean meat ratio, 75 °C cooking temperature, and 0.03 g/kg nitrite content. The most influential independent parameters were identified as B > A > C > D, placing Djulis incorporation as the first runner-up, just after the backfat-to-lean meat ratio. Optimized condition verification identified the Signal-to-Noise ratio (S/N) of 16.63. Comparing the optimized Djulis-enriched sample and the original sausage indicated similar CIE L*, a*, b*, hardness, and springiness but different gumminess according to Texture Profile Analysis (TPA). The Djulis-enriched sausage at the optimized formulation had a significantly lower POV compared to the control sample (4.65 vs. 9.64 meq/kg), which was found to be correlated with Djulis antioxidant effects with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate (DPPH) free radical antioxidant activity of 62.37%. This suggests that Djulis effectively mitigates sausage organoleptic deterioration. Djulis sausage, with natural antioxidants and reduced fat content, could cater to consumer preferences and enhance the market for the food industry and indigenous farmers.

Effects of Sous-Vide on Quality, Structure and Flavor Characteristics of Tilapia Fillets

To investigate the effects of traditional high-temperature cooking and sous-vide cooking on the quality of tilapia fillets, muscle microstructure, texture, lipid oxidation, protein structure, and volatile compounds were analyzed. In comparison with samples subjected to traditional high-temperature cooking, sous-vide-treated samples exhibited less protein denaturation, a secondary structure dominated by α-helices, a stable and compact structure, a significantly higher moisture content, and fewer gaps in muscle fibers. The hardness of the sous-vide-treated samples was higher than that of control samples, and the extent of lipid oxidation was significantly reduced. The sous-vide cooking technique resulted in notable changes in the composition and relative content of volatile compounds, notably leading to an increase in the presence of 1-octen-3-ol, α-pinene, and dimethyl sulfide, and a decrease in the levels of hexanal, D-limonene, and methanethiol. Sous-vide treatment significantly enhanced the structural stability, hardness, and springiness of muscle fibers in tilapia fillets and reduced nutrient loss, enriched flavor, and mitigated effects on taste and fishy odor.

Sous vide cooking improved the physicochemical parameters of hot-boned bovine semimembranosus muscles

The physicochemical parameters of hot-boned bovine semimembranosus muscles after sous vide cooking were investigated. Hot-boned or wet-aged steaks were collected, and cooked by different cooking methods, including sous vide (57 °C, 11 h, SV), grilling (at 200 °C to the central temperature of 72 °C, GR) or boiling (100 °C, 2 h, BO). The meat color, tenderness, water-holding capacity, degree of oxidation, myoglobin denaturation and sensory quality traits were determined, as well as the changes in the microstructure. Compared to other cooking methods, SV reduced the degree of oxidation and muscle shortening, and significantly improved the water holding capacity (WHC), tenderness, connective tissue content and overall acceptability for both hot-boned and wet-aged steaks. The oxidation and muscle shortening were reduced in hot-boned SV steaks (P < 0.05), and the water-holding capacity and sensory scores for juiciness, connective tissue content and overall acceptability were increased (P < 0.05) compared to the wet-aged steaks. The combination of hot-boning and SV cooking resulted in an acceptable tenderness, better overall sensory acceptability and higher WHC than other combinations of muscle states and cooking methods. Therefore, it is a good choice to cook hot-boned semimembranosus muscles using SV to improve the eating quality, which can eliminate the need for aging, benefiting the beef industry.

A Comparison of the Meat Quality, Nutritional Composition, Carcass Traits, and Fiber Characteristics of Different Muscular Tissues between Aged Indigenous Chickens and Commercial Laying Hens

The aim of this study is to assess the differences in the meat quality, nutritional composition, carcass traits, and myofiber characteristics between Hy-Line grey chickens (HLG, commercial breed) and Guangyuan grey chickens (GYG, indigenous breed). A total of 20 55-week-old chickens were selected for slaughter. The HLG exhibited a larger carcass weight, breast muscle weight, and abdominal fat weight (p < 0.05). The GYG exhibited a higher crude protein content, lower shear force, and smaller fiber size in the thigh muscles, whereas the HLG presented higher pH values and lower inosine-5'-monophosphate content in the breast muscles (p < 0.05). Darker meat based on higher redness and yellowness values was observed in the GYG instead of the HLG (p < 0.05). The research results also revealed parameter differences between different muscle types. Simultaneously, a correlation analysis showed significant correlations between the meat quality traits and myofiber characteristics (p < 0.05). In conclusion, aged indigenous chickens perform better in terms of tenderness and nutritional value in the thigh muscles, and may exhibit a better flavor in the breast muscles, but have a smaller breast muscle weight. Therefore, the current investigation provides a theoretical basis for the different needs of consumers and the processing of meat from old laying hens.

Effect of Marinating in Dairy-Fermented Products and Sous-Vide Cooking on the Protein Profile and Sensory Quality of Pork Longissimus Muscle

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of marinating (3 or 6 days) in kefir (KE), yogurt (YO) and buttermilk (BM) and sous-vide cooking (SV) at 60 or 80 °C on changes in the protein profile of pork in relation to its sensory quality. In the marinated raw meat, an increased share of some fractions of myofibrillar and cytoskeletal proteins and calpains were found. The greatest degradation of proteins, regardless of time, was caused by marinating in YO and KE and cooking SV at 80 °C. The lowest processing losses were in samples marinated in KE and YO and cooked SV at 60 °C, with marinating time having no significant effect. The odor, flavor, tenderness and juiciness of meat marinated in BM was better than in KE and YO. Meat marinated and cooked SV at 60 °C was rated better by the panelists. Changes in proteins significantly affect the formation of meat texture, tenderness and juiciness, which confirms the correlations. This is also reflected in the sensory evaluation. During the process of marinating and cooking meat, protein degradation should be taken into account, which can be a good tool for shaping the sensory quality of cooked pork.

The Influence of the Sous Vide Cooking Time on Selected Characteristics of Pork Lion

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of sous vide and pressure-cooker cooking of pork muscles (Longissimus lumborum) on the physicochemical and technological characteristics of pork. The study included an analysis of the basic composition, colour, texture, sensory evaluation, nutritional value (vitamin B1 content), and rheological properties of meat cooked at 60 °C for 6-18 h and, for comparison, in an autoclave at 121.1 °C. The heating conditions affected the weight loss, colour, thiamine content, texture, and rheological properties of the meat. As the heating time increased, the texture determinants of firmness and chewiness decreased, which resulted in softer meat. The differences in the rheological properties of the sous-vide- and autoclave-cooked meat resulted from the different organisation of the spatial matrix of proteins and changes in the structure of muscle fibres caused by the high temperature.

Process optimization and evaluation of the effects of different time-temperature sous vide cooking on physicochemical, textural, and sensory characteristics of whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeusvannamei)

The objective of the current study was to optimize the cook-chill conditions of high-value whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) processed using the sous vide (SV) technique and to assess the effects of various time-temperature combinations on the physicochemical, textural, and sensory qualities. For optimization, a Response Surface Methodology (RSM) approach utilizing a Central Composite Design (CCD) was adopted. Optimum SV cooking conditions to acquire minimum texture (hardness) of 7235 g was 13.48 min and 81.87 °C, expressible moisture of 18.48% was 14.5 min and 84.5 °C, and cook loss of 5.58% was 5 min and 75 °C. Texture (hardness) and expressible moisture decreased while cooking loss increased with increasing time-temperature treatment. Redness and yellowness values increased (p < 0.05) with increasing SV cooking time-temperature, but lightness values were nearly consistent in all treatments. With increasing time and temperature, TBARs and total carotenoid content increased (p < 0.05). However, the TBARs values were within accepted limits and ranged from 0.05 to 0.08 mg malonaldehyde/kg. Sensory evaluation indicated that all SV cooked samples were well accepted, with overall scores ≥7. These results suggest that the SV cooking temperature and time had a substantial impact on the textural, physicochemical, and sensory characteristics of shrimp. In addition, increasing time-temperature increased cooking and moisture loss, but decreased hardness and higher sensory scores made the product more acceptable to consumers.

The Impact of Culinary Processing, including Sous-Vide, on Polyphenols, Vitamin C Content and Antioxidant Status in Selected Vegetables-Methods and Results: A Critical Review

This study presents various research methods and results analysis of the total antioxidant status (TAS), polyphenols content (PC) and vitamin C content in selected plant materials (vegetables) subjected to various technological processes, including sous-vide. The analysis included 22 vegetables (cauliflower white rose, romanesco type cauliflower, broccoli, grelo, col cabdell cv. pastoret, col lllombarda cv. pastoret, brussels sprouts, kale cv. crispa-leaves, kale cv. crispa-stem, toscana black cabbage, artichokes, green beans, asparagus, pumpkin, green peas, carrot, root parsley, brown teff, white teff, white cardoon stalks, red cardoon stalks and spinach) from 18 research papers published in 2017 to 2022. The results after processing by various methods such as conventional, steaming and sous-vide cooking were compared to the raw vegetable results. The antioxidant status was mainly determined by the radical DPPH, ABTS and FRAP methods, the polyphenol content by the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and the vitamin C content using dichlorophenolindophenol and liquid chromatography methods. The study results were very diverse, but in most studies, the cooking techniques contributed to reducing TAS, PC and vitamin C content, with the sous-vide process being most beneficial. However, future studies should focus on vegetables for which discrepancies in the results were noted depending on the author, as well as lack of clarity regarding the analytical methods used, e.g., cauliflower white rose or broccoli.

Insight into the effect of traditional frying techniques on glycosylated hazardous products, quality attributes and flavor characteristics of grass carp fillets

This study aimed to evaluate the evolution of quality attributes, oxidation index, glycosylated hazardous products, aroma characteristics of grass carp fillets and their relationship under air-frying, roast-frying and pan-frying. With frying progressed, the level of carbonyl protein and lipid oxidation products increased significantly (following air-frying > pan-frying > roast-frying), and the latter decreased subsequently after 6 min. Fillets possessed by frying increased significantly N^ε-carboxymethyl-lysines (CML) and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) levels, whose increment was pan-frying > air-frying > roast-frying. Compared to raw, eighty-seven volatiles were identified and the total concentrations of those increased gradually in air-frying, but then decreased up to 6 min in roast-frying and pan-frying. Furthermore, significant correlations between CML, TBARS and 5-HMF, quality attributes, oxidation index; volatiles (VIP and/or OAV > 1) and lipid oxidation index were obtained. Conclusively, fillets possessed by air-/roast-frying showed more lipid oxidation and alcohols/aldehydes, while pan-fried enriched CML and pyrazines.

Effects of different processing methods on the polyphenolic compounds profile and the antioxidant and anti-glycaemic properties of horseradish roots (Armoracia rusticana)

Horseradish (Armoracia rusticana) provides human organisms with various effective treatments for improving human health, and it constitutes a salubrious root used for culinary purposes. This outcome derives from the chemical composition and polyphenols content of horseradish. This study's objective was to determine individual polyphenols, total phenolic (TPC) and total flavonoid (TFC) contents, colour parameters, inhibition of advanced glycation end product (AGEs) formation and Trolox Equivalent Antioxidant Capacity (TEAC) by DPPH and ABTS of horseradish products. Phenolic acids and flavonoids were analysed by HPLC-DAD-MS method. Horseradish products were obtained by thermal treatments such as boiling, baking and sous-vide. Fresh and sous-vide samples were characterized by the most abundant TPC values, whereas TFC horseradish indicated the highest value after boiling treatment. Moreover, the highest values of antioxidant capacity in fresh horseradish roots were detected. Flavonoids presented lower concentrations than phenolic acids, while syringic acid was the most abundant phenolic compound. Horseradish, after sous-vide treatment, appeared to have a higher inhibition of AGEs formation. Thermal treatment of horseradish root increased the saturation of yellow (b*) and red (a*) colours and decreased colour brightness. Our findings indicate that horseradish products are a valuable source of polyphenols, with their profile, content, and antioxidant and anti-AGEs formation activity modulated by applied processes.

Optimizing the effects of nisin and nacl to thermal inactivate listeria monocytogenes in ground beef with chipotle sauce during sous-vide processing

Mild cooking thermal treatments, like sous-vide, can compromise ground meat entrees such as meatballs with chipotle sauce, especially when salt levels are reduced during its preparation. Listeria monocytogenes is a thermoresistant pathogen that can be in ready-to-eat food. On the other hand, nisin, due to its thermal stability, can be a good alternative to aid on the thermal inactivation of L. monocytogenes and ensure meat safety. The objective was to optimize the amount of nisin and salt concentrations to thermally inactivate L. monocytogenes during the sous-vide cooking of ground beef marinated in chipotle sauce, and to generate a predictive model. A four-strain cocktail was prepared and inoculated in ground beef in combination (3:2) with chipotle sauce added with nisin (0-150 IU) and salt (0-2%). After that, meat samples were sous-vide cooked at different temperatures, nisin, and salt concentrations, established by a central composite design. Depending on the levels of these factors, D-values ranged from 49.71 to 0.27 min. A predictive model (p < 0.05) was obtained by response surface, which described that D-values variation was explained by the linear effects of the three factors, the interaction between nisin and temperature, and the quadratic effects of salt and temperature. It was also observed that nisin presented a bactericidal effect while salt presented a protective effect during the thermal inactivation of L. monocytogenes. Adding 120 IU of nisin and 0.4% of salt to the meat product at 63°C temperature can help to ensure food safety by making L. monocytogenes cells more sensitive to the lethal effect of heat. The model developed in this study can be used by food processors for planning and designing effective levels of salt and nisin to thermally inactivate L. monocytogenes in ground beef products marinated with chipotle sauce to ensure their safety.

Influence of cooking techniques on food quality, digestibility, and health risks regarding lipid oxidation

Foods undergo various physical and chemical reactions during cooking. Boiling, steaming, baking, smoking and frying are common traditional cooking techniques. At present, new cooking technologies including ultrasonic-assisted cooking, vacuum low-temperature cooking, vacuum frying, microwave heating, infrared heating, ohmic heating and air frying are widely studied and used. In cooking, lipid oxidation is the main reason for the change in lipid quality. Oxidative decomposition, triglyceride monomer oxidation, hydrolysis, isomerization, cyclization reaction and polymerization occurred in lipid oxidation affect lipids' quality, flavor, digestibility and safety. Meanwhile, lipid oxidation in cooking might cause the decline of lipid digestibility and increase of health risks. Compared with the traditional cooking technology, the new cooking technology that is milder, more uniform and faster can reduce the loss of lipid nutrition and produce a better flavor. In the future, the combination of various cooking technologies is an effective strategy for families to obtain healthier food.

A Mixture of Full-Fat and Defatted Hermetia illucens Larvae and Poultry By-Products as Sustainable Protein Sources Improved Fillet Quality Traits in Farmed Barramundi, Lates calcarifer

The physicochemical quality and shelf-life of fillets from barramundi, which were fed for 56 days on a mixture of poultry by-product meal (PBM), full-fat Hermetia illucens (FHI), and defatted HI (DHI), were investigated and compared to a fishmeal (FM) control diet. The proximate and total amino acids compositions of the fillets were unaffected by the test diets, while the mixture of PBM and HI larvae improved the sensory quality. An eight-day shelf-life study showed that PBM-HI-based diets improved the texture profile based upon the chewiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and hardness, regardless of the storage time. The improved texture was aligned with comparatively less degradation of the microstructure of the muscle tissue in the same diets. An improvement in the quality index (QI) value, an increase in pH, and a decrease in lipid oxidation were also found in the fillets of barramundi fed test diets compared with the control diet during the storage time. The test diets positively influenced flesh lightness and redness, while the color profiles were negatively influenced by the storage time. Overall, the maintenance of compositional attributes; the enhancement of fillet sensory attributes, texture, and brightness; and the improved raw fillet shelf-life support the inclusion of PBM-HI-based diets in aquafeed.

Understanding the effect of meat electrical conductivity on Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) process parameters and the ability of PEF to enhance the quality and shorten sous vide processing for beef short ribs

The aim of this research was to investigate how the electrical conductivity of short ribs affected Pulsed Electric Field (PEF) process parameters and the ability of PEF to enhance their quality and reduce sous vide (SV) processing time. Short ribs with different range of electrical conductivity (3-6, 6-9, and 9-12 mS/cm) values were treated using input voltage of 10 kV, pulse width of 20 µs, pulse frequency of 50 Hz and pulse number, of either 1600 (low intensity PEF/LPEF) or 5200 (high intensity PEF/HPEF), followed by SV processing at 60 °C for either 24 or 36 h. The quality parameters assessed were cooking loss (%), Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) parameters, and Commission Internationale d'Eclairage (CIE) L*a*b* colour parameters. There was a variation in electrical conductivity of short ribs according to the position of the bone in the short rib, which demonstrated good congruence with the distribution of fat and connective tissue. SV processing with or without PEF pre-treatment did not have a significant effect (p > 0.05) on cooking loss or CIE L*a*b* colour parameters. Short ribs with a medium conductivity (6-9 mS/cm) had a significantly lower hardness after high intensity PEF followed by SV for 24 h, whilst short ribs with an average conductivity of 3-6 and 9-12 mS/cm required longer SV time (up to 36 h) and had a significantly lower hardness compared to non PEF pre-treated samples. TPA values of short ribs treated with the same PEF intensity and SV processing parameters were comparable regardless of the short ribs initial electrical conductivity, which indicates that PEF treatment could ameliorate the biological electrochemical variability inherent to short ribs and PEF could be the potential tool to decrease their SV processing time and enhance their tenderness.

Effects of Sous Vide Cooking on the Physicochemical and Volatile Flavor Properties of Half-Shell Scallop (Chlamys farreri) during Chilled Storage

This study explored the effects of sous vide (SV) cooking treatments on the physicochemical quality and volatile flavor of half-shell scallop (Chlamys farreri) during 30 d of chilled storage. The vacuum-packed scallop samples were cooked at 70 °C (SV-70) and 75 °C (SV-75) and maintained for 30 min. The samples were compared with the positive control (cooked at 100 °C for 10 min, CK). The results indicate that the total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), pH, texture, and malondialdehyde (MDA) content gradually increased, while the myofibrillar protein (MP) extraction rate of the CK, SV-70, and SV-75 samples significantly decreased with increasing chilled storage time. Significantly, the SV cooking treatments maintained a much higher water-holding capacity of scallop muscle, compared with the conventional cooking process at 100 °C. Additionally, the SV-75 cooking treatment maintained relatively stable TVBN, pH, and MDA content, springiness, and shearing force properties of scallop samples, especially during 0-20 d of storage. Volatile flavor analysis showed that a total of 42 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected in the scallop samples, and there were no considerable differences in these VOCs between the CK and SV-75 cooked samples (0 d). Overall, the SV cooking treatments effectively maintained acceptable and stable physicochemical and volatile flavor properties of half-shell scallop samples during chilled storage.

Muscle Tissue Quality of Raw and Sous-Vide Cooked Wild and Farmed Pikeperch

The aim of the study was to compare the chemical and fatty acid composition, colour, and sensory quality of wild and farmed pikeperch. Raw wild pikeperch had a higher moisture and ash contents, as well as pH value, but lower fat and protein contents than farmed pikeperch. In sous-vide fillets, a higher fat and a lower protein content were noted in farmed fish. Slight differences in colour attributes between farmed and wild fish affected neither chroma nor hue in raw and sous-vide fillets. Wild and farmed fish fillets prepared using sous-vide were scored similarly in the sensory assessment. Although wild fish had a more beneficial fatty acid composition demonstrated by a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic, a higher fat concentration in farmed pikeperch resulted in obtaining similar or even higher concentration of these fatty acids in sous-vide fillets. Regardless of the origin of pikeperch it might be recommended as a valuable part of a daily diet.

Effect of Traditional Cooking and Sous Vide Heat Treatment, Cold Storage Time and Muscle on Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Beef Meat

Consumers are avoiding the consumption of highly processed foods, aware of the negative effects of the additives or high temperatures used on the biological value of the food. This causes an interest in ways of minimal processing or low-temperature cooking procedures. However, to achieve the desired organoleptic quality, it is necessary to know the relationship between the parameters of the treatments and the type of raw material. The purpose of this study was to investigate the complex effects of traditional cooking and sous vide heat treatment, cold storage time and muscle on the physicochemical and sensory properties of beef. The study material consisted of samples of musculus longissimus thoracis and musculus semitendinosus obtained from beef half-carcasses. The muscles were subjected to traditional cooking in water at 95 °C until the temperature inside the piece reached 65 °C and sous vide treatment at 65 °C for 2 h. The study was performed after 2 and 21 days of cold storage. Instrumental evaluation of texture parameters, color and sensory evaluation of meat was carried out. Meat stored for 21 days was characterized by more favorable TPA test (Texture Profile Analysis) results compared to meat evaluated 48 h post mortem. The study also showed positive effects of sous vide heat treatment on texture parameters and sensory properties (especially on tenderness and palatability), as well as differences in the formation of quality traits between muscles. Given the trends associated with energy-saving technologies, it is desirable to seek the optimal combination of temperature and time of fixation treatments at an acceptable level of quality. The use of low-temperature cooking for as little as 2 h, yields positive results in sensory evaluation of juiciness, tenderness, or palatability.

The Effect of Marinating on Fatty Acid Composition of Sous-Vide Semimembranosus Muscle from Holstein-Friesian Bulls

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of two commercial oil marinades on marinated bovine semimembranosus muscles’ (n = 12) fatty acid composition. Fatty acids were determined in unmarinated raw and sous-vide beef and marinated muscles with two different marinades. The application of marinating changed the fatty acid composition in sous-vide beef. The sum of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and n-6/n-3 ratio decreased. However, the sum of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), including n-6 and n-3, increased in marinated sous-vide beef, while a proportion of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and arachidonic acid (AA) decreased. The concentration (mg/100 g) of the sum of SFA and CLA in sous-vide beef was unaffected by marinating; however, the treatment significantly increased the sum of MUFA, PUFA, n-6 fatty and n-3 fatty acid concentrations. Using marinades containing canola oil and spices prior to the sous-vide treatment of beef was effective in improving its fatty acid composition.