Development of An Algorithm for Identifying the Thermal State of Meat and Fish Raw Materials

Abstract

Modern methods of differentiating chilled and thawed meat are based on the development of organoleptic indicators and morphological changes in tissues defined in histological preparations. We conducted studies to assess the thermal state of 69 prototypes of meat and fish using a histological method to evaluate the structure of muscle tissue. Microscopic examination of histological preparations of chilled meat and fish showed a clear and even tissue structure, whole muscle fibers in the transverse section of muscle fibers, and indicators such as the structure of muscle tissue, voids within and between muscle fibers, and the presence of thickened muscle fibers were recorded in defrosted samples fibers, while in similar preparations made from chilled products, similar morphological changes were found in isolated cases or were not detected in the material. The above information allows us to consider these criteria as identification and to differentiate the thermal state of meat and fish raw materials.