Antioxidant Activity and Fatty Acid Profile of Sous-Vide Beef Marinated with Kiwiberry Fruit Pulp: Effects of Level Addition and Refrigerated Storage

The purpose of the study was to determine the antioxidant activity (AA) and fatty acid (FA) profile of sous-vide beef previously marinated in brine with a 10, 20 and 30% addition of kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta cv. 'Ananasnaya') fruit pulp, as well as changes in the parameters studied after 0, 1, 2 and 3 weeks of refrigerated storage in a vacuum package. The FA profile, FRAP (ferric-reducing antioxidant power assay), ABTS (2,2'-azinobis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-acid)), total polyphenols, chlorophylls and carotenoids were also determined in the fruit pulp. Lipid indices for meat were calculated based on the obtained FA profile. The values of FRAP and ABTS of experimental meat products were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than those of control samples but decreased with storage time. The proportion of unsaturated FA in the lipids of sous-vide meat was higher in samples with pulp than in control samples and insignificantly decreased with storage time. Meat marinated with kiwiberry pulp was characterized by a significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher proportion of ALA (α-linolenic acid) and LA (linoleic acid), considerably affecting the more favorable value of polyunsaturated FA/saturated FA ratio. A troubling finding was the heightened level of palmitic acid (C16:0) in the lipids of beef subjected to 30% kiwiberry pulp, a factor recognized to play a significant role in the development of various diseases. Beef marinated with 20% kiwiberry pulp addition provides greater nutritional and health benefits than other sample variants because of optimal AA and FA profile changes during refrigerated storage.

Sous-Vide as an Alternative Method of Cooking to Improve the Quality of Meat: A Review

Sous-vide (SV) is a method of cooking previously vacuum-packed raw materials under strictly controlled conditions of time and temperature. Over the past few years, scientific articles have explored the physical, biochemical, and microbiological properties of SV cooking. In this review, we provide a critical appraisal of SV as an alternative method of meat cooking, including the types of methods, types of SV meat products, and effects of SV parameters on the meat quality and the mechanisms of transformation taking place in meat during SV cooking. Based on the available data, it can be concluded that most research on the SV method refers to poultry. The yield of the process depends on the meat type and characteristics, and decreases with increasing temperature, while time duration does not have an impact. Appropriate temperatures in this method make it possible to control the changes in products and affect their sensory quality. Vacuum conditions are given a minor role, but they are important during storage. The limited number of studies on the approximate composition of SV meat products makes it challenging to draw summarizing conclusions on this subject. The SV method allows for a higher microbiological quality of stored meat than conventional methods. The literature suggests that the SV method of preparing beef, pork, and poultry has many advantages.

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.

Life Cycle Assessment Model of a Catering Product: Comparing Environmental Impacts for Different End-of-Life Scenarios

This paper assesses the primary energy and environmental impacts of a restaurant main course product’s lifecycle, especially focusing on end-of-life (EoL) stage. In the first step, a cradle-to-grave complex life cycle assessment (LCA) model of the product has been set up from the extraction of the required raw materials through the preparation, cooking and use phase to the end-of-life. In the second step, three scenarios (landfilling, incineration, and composting) were compared for the generated food waste in the end-of-life stage given that one of the biggest challenges in waste management is the optimal management of food waste. We calculated eleven environmental impact categories for the examined food product with the help of GaBi 9.0 software. During our research work, the primary energy was examined in each phase. In the third step, a comparison between the traditional and “sous vide” cooking technologies has been created to optimise of the cooking/frying life cycle phase. This paper basically answers three main questions: (1) How can the main environmental impacts and primary energy throughout the whole life cycle of the examined product be characterised? (2) What methods can optimise the different life cycle stages while reducing and recycling energy and material streams? and (3) what is the most optimal waste management scenario at the end-of-life stage? Based on the analysis, the highest environmental impact comes from the preparation phase and the end-of-life scenario for the traditional incineration caused almost twice the environmental load as the landfilling of the food waste. Composting has the lowest environmental impact, and the value of the primary energy for composting is very low. The sous vide cooking technique is advantageous, and the continuously controlled conditions result in a more reliable process. These research results can be used to design sustainable cooking and catering with lower environmental impacts and energy resources in catering units.

Effect of heat treatments on the physicochemical and sensory properties of the longissimus thoracis muscle in unweaned Limousin calves

The aim of the study was to assess the effect of methods of heat treatment on selected quality parameters of longissimus thoracis muscle of Limousin calves, subjected to grilling, steaming, and sous vide cooking. The type of heat treatment did not significantly affect shear force or water activity. Cooking loss in the grilled and steamed meat was significantly higher than in the sous vide. While the content of vitamin E was significantly lower in the cooked meat, it was retained to the greatest degree in the grilled meat and least in the steamed meat. The TBARS index significantly increased during all cooking methods with the highest level in steamed meat. The sensory analysis revealed a preference for the sous vide and grilled meat, while the steamed meat received the lowest scores. Although veal is commonly assumed to be highly nutritious and palatable, its quality can be significantly influenced by the type of heat treatment.

Bio-Fortified Pork Cracklings with UVB LED Tailored Content of Vitamin D3

Since few foods are naturally rich in vitamin D, novel food products with a high content of vitamin D are needed to decrease the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. Pork cracklings are Danish snacks with high contents of protein and fat. They are consumed mostly during wintertime when sun exposure cannot fulfil human needs for vitamin D3. Pork cracklings were produced in an industrially friendly manner from UVB LED illuminated pork rind, using a combination of sous vide (85 °C, 60 min) and roasting in the oven (200 °C, 20 min). Thermal processing resulted in a significant loss of vitamin D3 (>90%). Thus, the process was optimized by the UVB exposure of pork cracklings, i.e., after thermal processing. The produced pork cracklings had a vitamin D3 level of ~10 µg/100 g, with a possibility of tailoring its final content. Furthermore, the fat content at 15−20% was a reduction of 50% compared to marketed products in 2021. No significant difference was found in the content of vitamin D3 during 31 days of storage in the air. A consumer preference test (n = 53) indicated that >80% of participants liked the product and saw its potential as a new food source of vitamin D3.