Abstract:The effects of two low-temperature heating methods including inverter microwave heating and water bath heating on the tenderness, water-holding capacity, and sterilization rate of beef during heating were investigated in this study. The beef topside muscle was used as the experimental material, and all indicators of the meat products were determined after the treatments were carried out using two low-temperature heating methods at different temperatures and durations. The results showed that heating time using an inverter microwave was short. For every 5 ℃ reduction in microwave heating, the heating time was shortened and the electricity consumption could be saved by 10~15%. The drip loss of beef upon microwave heating was significantly less than drip loss upon water bath heating. Both shear forces of beef for the two heating methods showed a wavy trend with increasing temperature; the maximum shear force was reached when the heating temperature was 60 ℃, and the minimum shear force was reached when the heating temperature continuously increased to 65 ℃. The shear force of beef upon microwave heating was less than the shear force after water bath heating. When the beef sample was microwave-heated at 65 ℃ for four to six minutes, the shear force of beef was relatively low. The water holding capacity of beef was closely related to its drip loss, and this relationship could be expressed by the linear equation y = -0.323x + 99.49 (R2 = 0.927). In both heating methods, over 99% of microorganisms could be eliminated when the heating temperature was over 60 ℃. In conclusion, good beef quality could be obtained after 42 (±2) g of beef was heated by a 500 W-inverter microwave at 65 ℃ for four to six minutes.
