Abstract
This study used multiple regression to model the effect of pulsed electric field (electric field strengths 0.7, 1.0 or 1.5 kV cm(-1)) and sous vide (60 degrees C for either 12, 18 or 24 h) processing on the quality parameters (tenderness, cooking loss, colour, lipid stability) of beef brisket. Pulsed electric fields (PEF) at 0.7 kV cm(-1) and 1.5 kV cm(-1) followed by sous vide processing for 12-20.2 and 20.8-23.7 h, respectively gave the lowest values for hardness (<20.2 N), shear force (100.5 N mm(-1) s(-1)) and cooking loss (<17.4%). PEF treatment prior to sous vide processing had no significant effect on lipid oxidation, colour stability, cooking loss or in vitro protein digestibility of sous vide-processed brisket. Increasing the electric field strength and/or prolonging the sous vide time significantly increased collagen solubilisation in the sous vide brisket. This study demonstrated that a PEF pre-treatment can reduce sous vide processing time while enhancing the tenderness of tough meat cuts.