Modelling the centrifugal mixing process of minced meat to optimise the production of chopped meat semi-finished products

Abstract

One of the most important problems in ensuring the quality of mincemeat preparation in the production of sausages is the effective structuring of components and mixing of their ingredients. To solve this problem, researchers added a multifunctional admixture based on whey protein in the process of centrifugal mixing of the components, which determined the composition of the factor space of the investigated process. Based on the results of the research, the effective content of whey protein, sodium alginate, and soy fiber in the developed recipe was proven, which showed high characteristics in terms of fat-retaining and moisture-retaining ability, digestibility, pH level – activity, and other parameters. The developed formulation made it possible to improve the general indicator of the balance of amino acids in the product and increase the functional-technological and quality parameters of the developed products. The physical and mechanical characteristics of the obtained meat product were evaluated based on the results of physical and mathematical modelling. Modelling was carried out using Federman-on-Buckingham's second similarity theory and the "dimension theory" method, which allows the processing of the obtained experimental data in the form of a criterion equation, which was compiled using Froude, Euler, and Sherwood criteria. The purpose of this study was to obtain dependencies between such process factors as product density, the coefficient of dynamic viscosity of the technological medium, the ultimate shear stress, the change in the concentration of the main impurities of lactic acid in the raw material, the value of the diffusion coefficient and the coefficient of mass transfer in the loading mass, the weight of one load of products, the angular frequency of rotation of the screws of the minced meat mixer, the radius of the rotating working bodies, the characteristic size of the products after grinding. Using the complex criterion equation and the developed program, we find a recommended set of operating mode parameters for preparing minced meat under the conditions of centrifugal influence on the mixing process and the action of the specified factors.