Factors influencing the particle size distribution of flaked meat. II. Effect of aperture size, number of cutting stations, rotational speed and impeller design

Abstract

Summary Diced steer flank and brisket were flaked at a nominal temperature of -4.0°C to investigate the effects of rotational speed (3360 or 5250 r.p.m.), two different impeller designs, aperture size (1.5, 6.1 and 19.0mm) and number of cutting stations on the resulting particle size distribution, measured using video image analysis. Changes in ice content and enthalpy were also calculated from measurements of temperature before and after flaking. The amount of ice which melted, and the corresponding enthalpy change, was significantly greater for the smaller aperture sizes, and the higher speeds. Of the four factors investigated, the most important influence on particle size was that of aperture size. However, under some conditions, the number of cutting stations and the rotational speed also influenced the resulting particle size characteristics, most notably in producing thinner particles.