Abstract
To maximise tenderness, minimise cooking loss, and decrease the adverse effects on the colour of beef short ribs, third-order multiple regression models were used to optimise the processing parameters during the pulsed electric fields (PEF) followed by sous vide (SV) processing. Electric field strength (EFS) and specific energy (SE) of PEF ranged from 0 to 0.85 kV/cm and 0 to 110.96 kJ/kg, respectively, and SV processing for 12, 24, or 36 h at 60 degrees C was applied. The optimum PEF-SV processing conditions for short ribs were found at EFS of 0.85 kV/cm and SE of 110.96 kJ/kg with SV processing at 60 degrees C for 23.96 h. In the absence of PEF pre-treatment, the optimum SV time at 60 degrees C was 36 h. PEF pre-treatments (SE, 99-110.96 kJ/kg) followed by SV (24 h) at 60 degrees C resulted in a significantly lower cooking loss (%) and texture profile analysis hardness compared to PEF at all treatment intensities, followed by SV at 60 degrees C for 36 h. Furthermore, significant differences were not observed in the redness, hue angle, and chroma at different PEF-SV processing parameters. Therefore, for industrial applications, PEF-SV processing with EFS (0.85 kV/cm), pulse width (20 mu S), pulse frequency (50 Hz) and SE (110.96 kJ/kg), and SV temperature-time combination of 60 degrees C and 23.96 h is highly recommended.