Emprego de ultrassom no cozimento de produto cárneo emulsionado

Abstract

The food industry is challenged to serve the market with safe, high quality, nutritious and healthy products. The focus of the research is to minimize costs, production time, improve sensory and nutritional characteristics and prolong the shelf life of foods. Ultrasound (US) is a technology that has been studied for these purposes and has shown a network of advantages in its application in food. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of high and medium intensity US on the cooking of mortadellas with reduced time. Formulated mortadelles were randomly selected to compose the treatments that varied in cooking between Control (cooking with conventional time), T100 (US 25 kHz high intensity, time reduction), T50 (US 25 kHz medium intensity, time reduction) and TSUS (without US, time reduction). The microbiological characteristics (mesophilic, psychrotrophic, lactic and Enterobacteriacea bacterias), chemical (centesimal composition, peroxides, conjugated dienes and trienes, TBARS and volatile compounds), physical (pH, Aw, analysis of instrumental texture profile and objective evaluation of Color) and sensory (CATA, acceptance test and purchase intention) were evaluated during 120 days of storage at 5 ºC. The US showed a time saving of up to 46% in cooking, maintaining efficiency in reducing the microbial flora. There was no negative influence of US on lipid and protein oxidation in mortadellas during the storage period, but there was a higher formation of volatile compounds by US treatments. The overall color difference showed a clear perception difference between control and US mortadellas, but the texture profile was similar to control. The mortadellas submitted to the high intensity US obtained good acceptance by the consumers.