The effect of storage conditions on the microstructure of sterilized canned meat

Abstract

The article presents the results of studies of changes in the microstructure of the meat system as a whole and its protein component during freezing, subsequent defrosting, and storage of canned meat. Microstructural analysis of the prototypes showed the presence of several types of destruction of muscle fibers, loosening of collagen fiber bundles, and the formation of multiple cavities due to the action of ice crystals. The main components of sterilized canned meat had new characteristics after thawing, such as decreased transverse striations of muscle tissue fibers, loosening of myofibrils, changes in the size and shape of sarcomeres, violation of sarcolemma integrity, and multiple fiber fragmentation with the formation of a fine-grained protein mass. Freezing did not lead to a decrease in the content of the high-molecular-weight protein fraction of the nitrogen system, the ratio of the peptide fraction content to the residual nitrogen remained equal to 5.2. However, the ratio of non-protein nitrogen to total nitrogen decreased by 1.8 times due to the destruction of low-molecular-weight nitrogen under the action of ice crystals. The dynamics of the eh values of control and experimental canned food samples during storage indicated the loss of oxidative stability of the protein system of the samples subjected to freezing. Based on the results, we would like to recommend that logistic organizations sort and confirm canned meat safety and quality requirements after thawing in the case of unforeseen circumstances.