EFFECTS OF HIGH-PRESSURE ON MEAT - A REVIEW

Extensive investigations in the last decade have revealed the potentia l benefits of high pressure processing (100-800 MPa) for the preservat ion and modification of foods. Simultaneously, a few pressurised foods have become commercially available in Japan, Europe and the USA. In t he present review, the basic principles underlying the effects of high pressure on food constituents and quality attributes are first presen ted. Recent data concerning the following specific effects of high pre ssure on muscle and meat products are then reported and discussed: cha nges in muscle enzymes and meat proteolysis; modifications in muscle u ltrastructure; effects on myofibrillar proteins; meat texture and pres sure-assisted tenderisation processes; pressure-induced gelation and r estructuring of minced meat; changes in myoglobin and meat colour; inf luence of pressure on lipid oxidation in muscle; high pressure-inactiv ation of pathogenic and spoilage micro-organisms in meat, combined hig h pressure-moderate temperature 'pasteurisation' of meat products. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.