Research Advance of Application of Ultrasonic Treatment in Meat Processing

Ultrasonic treatment has been widely researched and applied in the pre-processing and thermal processing of meat and meat processed products at present. The cavitation effect, mechanical effect, and thermal effect of ultrasonic wave are considered to be the main reasons for the changes of meat quality. In this paper, the basic principle of ultrasound and the application progress in pre-treatment and thermal processing in meat processing are reviewed. The effects of ultrasonic treatment on meat tenderness, color, water holding capacity, and lipid and protein oxidation are summarized. The future prospect of its application is also proposed. In general, the physicochemical property and sensory quality of meat and meat processed products are significantly improved during ultrasound-assisted freezing, thawing, curing, and thermal processing. The paper provides a theoretical reference for the application of ultrasonic treatment in meat processing.