High pressure processing for dark-firm-dry beef: effect on physical properties and oxidative deterioration during refrigerated storage

Objective: Study on the application of high pressure processing (HPP) for dark-firm-dry (DFD) beef was conducted to observe whether HPP has any impact on physical properties and to evaluate oxidative deterioration during refrigerated storage under vacuum. Methods: The longissimus lumborum muscles obtained from Friesian Holstein steers ($33{\pm}0.5$ months old) with 24-h postmortem pH higher than 6.0 were vacuum-packed and subjected to pressurization at 200, 400, and 600 MPa for 180 s at $15^{\circ}C{\pm}2^{\circ}C$; the samples were then stored for 9 days at $4^{\circ}C{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and compared with control (0.1 MPa). Results: HPP increased meat pH by 0.1 to 0.2 units and the tenderness of cooked DFD beef significantly with no significant effects on meat texture profile. The stability of meat pH was well maintained during refrigerated storage under vacuum. No clear effects were found on the activity of catalase and superoxide dismutase, however, glutathione peroxidase activity was significantly reduced by high pressure. HPP and storage time resulted in aroma changes and the increasing amount of malondialdehyde and metmyoglobin relative composition. Conclusion: Although the increasing amount of malondialdehyde content, metmyoglobin formation and aroma changes in HPP-treated samples could not be avoided, HPP at 200 MPa increased $L^*$ and $a^*$ values with less discoloration and oxidative deterioration during storage.