Application of ultrasound-assisted vacuum impregnation for improving the diffusion of salt in beef cubes

• Published in: Meat science 2021-06, Vol.176, p.108469-108469, Article 108469
• Main Author: Aykın-Dinçer, Elif
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Beef; Brine; NaCl; Salting; Ultrasound
• ISSN: 0309-1740; 1873-4138
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108469

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of different vacuum impregnation (VI) conditions (Control, VI-250, VI-500, VI-750, US-VI-250, US-VI-500 and US-VI-750) on the salt gain (SG) and water gain (WG) kinetics of beef cubes. The cubes were immersed in brine solution (4 g NaCl/ 100 g solution) and salted at different levels of vacuum (250, 500 and 750 mbar) using VI method with and without ultrasound. The final moisture and salt contents of the cubes were 78.60% and 1.59%, respectively, and the samples were salted the fastest with US-VI-250. Five kinetic models were selected to evaluate the SG and WG kinetics, and Azuara model exhibited the best fit. In addition, the salt (Ds) and moisture (Dw) diffusion coefficients were in the range of 5.94–8.11 × 10−9 m2/s and 5.17–8.64 × 10−9 m2/s, respectively. It can be concluded that the ultrasound-assisted VI could shorten the brining time by improving the salt diffusion in beef cubes. •A novel brining technology using ultrasound and vacuum impregnation was designed.•The salt gain (SG) and water gain (WG) kinetics of beef cubes were investigated.•Vacuum impregnation with ultrasound shortened the brining time of beef cubes.•Azuara model exhibited the best fit for the SG and WG kinetics of beef cubes.