Effect of high voltage electrostatic field thawing on the functional and physicochemical properties of myofibrillar proteins

In order to explore the novel process for thawing, the impact of the high voltage electric field (HVEF) thawing with three different needle electrode numbers (8, 16, and 48) on quality of beef meat and beef myofibrillar protein was investigated and compared with the traditional thawing method. In this study, the HVEF parameters were maintained constant: gap (4 cm) and voltage (10 kV). The results indicated that augmentation of the needle electrode numbers decreased TBA, thawing loss, evaporation loss, cooking loss, and total loss. Also, the water holding capacity, solubility and gel strength of myofibrillar protein reduced, then increased by increment of the needle electrode numbers. Moreover, an up-trend in the net charge surface and the reactive sulfhydryl content was observed by increasing the number of needle electrodes. Finally, elevating the number of the needle electrodes led to a decrease in the particle size distribution, although it was increased in sample subjected to the most number of needle electrodes. In this sample, an improvement of rheological properties was obtained in comparison with the two previous levels as well as control.