Comparison of different meat tenderization methods: a review

Meat tenderness is one of the quality parameters that affect the tough muscle and changes into soft meat, which is characterized by, increased the palatability, juiciness, and flavor of the meat, the process is known as meat tenderization. According to literature reports, meat can be tenderized by using different methods. The tenderize meat gives rise to customer satisfaction and repeated buyers that improve the value of the meat industry as well as the restaurants. The most widely used methods for tenderization of meat are mechanical, electrical stimulation, application of exogenous proteolytic enzyme, and thermal treatment methods. All these methods result in tenderization of meat that reduces the cooking times, hardness of meat and chewiness of meat products, that can increase meatiness, flavor, and overall palatability. Therefore, an attempt has been made to review the different meat tenderization methods concerning their effectiveness, economic value, and mode of action. The toughness of the meat is reduced during mechanical method by disrupting the structure of the meat and weakening the protein network in muscles. Whereas, in case of enzymatic treatment tenderization is achieved by hydrolyzing the meat protein, which reduces the bonding between muscles and results in softening of the meat.