Improvement of tenderness and water holding capacity of spiced beef by the application of ultrasound during cooking

Summary The aim of this study was to assess the effects of power ultrasound‐assisted (0, 400, 600, 800 and 1000 W, frequency of 20 kHz) cooking (80, 100, 120 min) on spiced beef. The results showed that power ultrasound could significantly increase the salt content ( P < 0.05). For water holding capacity, the ultrasonic treatment could significantly reduce the pressure loss and free water content while improving the immobilised water content ( P < 0.05). And ultrasonic treatment improved hardness compared with control ( P < 0.05). However, the effects on the springiness, the chewiness and the resilience of the spiced beef were not significant ( P > 0.05). As for microstructure, the myofibrils of beef were ruptured by ultrasonic treatment along with the Z‐lines leading to the muscle swelling. The results indicated that the application of ultrasound during cooking could effectively promote the penetration of salt, improve the water holding capacity and ameliorate the tenderness of spiced beef.