Cavitation-intensifying or vacuum bags for beef ultrasonication: effects on critical attributes for consumers and microstructure

This study evaluated the high-intensity ultrasonication (HIU) and type of enveloping bags on important quality attributes for beef consumers. Thirty-six pieces of m. Semimembranosus (2.5 × 1.5 × 7 cm) were randomly allocated to one of five treatments: Control, fresh meat; NA, unpacked meat ultrasonicated; meat sonicated inside thin vacuum bags (VB40) or commercial vacuum bags (VB70); or meat sonicated inside cavitation-intensifying bags (CIB). HIU increased the colour change (ΔE) and lightness and reduced redness regardless of the type of bag. VB40 and CIB produced the highest ΔE after ultrasonication. HIU reduced the weight loss after cooking and the total shear, but no significant differences were observed among bags. HIU and cooking process affected all parameters regardless the meat packaging. Remarkably, the type of bag produced relevant micro-structure changes in beef, despite they were not reflected in the physicochemical parameters.