• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.508-515
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• 2004

In this study, salting conditions and dehydration methods were investigated. Salting time, concentration and temperature could be considered to variables in salting conditions. The diffused salt amounts to beef jerky depending on time are sharply increased in two hours. This result is caused by the difference decrease of concentration gradient between bulk solution and beef jerky. The increase of salting concentration and temperature resulted also in the increase of a diffused salt. The deeper bulk concentration made diffusion to beef easily with the bigger driving force and the movement of molecules is more active according to temperature increase. Dehydration is conducted with various methods such as natural drying, cold air drying and hot air drying. Comparing with color and texture among the drying methods, cold air drying showed superior quality in color and texture. Beef jerky by cold air drying colored more reddish than other drying methods and good cutting shear stress and tensile strength. In case of hardness and chewiness, hot air drying method showed the highest value, which means the worst texture.