Effects of ultrasound-assisted intermittent tumbling on the quality of cooked ham through modifying muscle structure and protein extraction.

Background: Tumbling treatment is widely used in the production of cooked ham. However, traditional intermittent tumbling (IT) treatment is time-consuming. To enhance the tumbling efficiency, high-intensity ultrasound was used to assist IT treatment (UIT).

Results: UIT treatment reduced the tumbling time and significantly improved the water holding capacity, tenderness, sliceability and texture of cooked ham compared to IT treatment. Furthermore, more violent destruction of meat tissue was exhibited in the UIT treatment. This change facilitated extraction of more salt-soluble protein, which in turn welded meat pieces tightly and improved the quality of the cooked ham.

Conclusion: UIT treatment could accelerate the tumbling process and enhance the quality of cooked ham. These results may provide guidance on effective strategies for a high-quality meat production process. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.