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Title: ULTRASTRUCTURAL CHANGES IN BOVINE LONGISSIMUS MUSCLE CAUSED BY THE HYDRODYNE PROCESS

Author
item Zuckerman, Hadasa
item Solomon, Morse
item LONG, JOHN - HYDRODYNE, INC.

Submitted to: Journal of Muscle Foods
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/4/1998
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: The Hydrodyne process, a new technology to tenderize meat, uses an enclosed tank of water and a small amount of explosive to generate shock waves (meat is placed in the tank filled with water). The hydrodynamic shock waves move through the water (or a liquid medium). These shock waves move through meat, since meat is approximately 75 percent water. If the pressure is large enough, the meat's cellular components rupture, leading to an increase in tenderization. Results suggest that tenderizing meat with the Hydrodyne process offers meat industry a faster and a more economical way than the traditional tenderization methods being used. Major tenderness improvement will also increase consumer acceptance of meat.

Technical Abstract: Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine the influence of the Hydrodyne process, a new technology for tenderizing meat in the raw state, on the ultrastructural characteristics of bovine longissimus muscle. Myofibrillar fragmentation in the I-band region adjacent to the Z-line and within the Z-line was clearly evident. Fragments of Z-lines were attached to thin filaments on either side of the fractures. These fractures resulte in increased intramyofibrillar spaces with losses of lateral attachments in most instances. These observations offer evidence as to why there is a significant improvement in meat tenderness when meat is treated with the Hydrodyne process.