Strategies to optimize the structural and functional properties of myofibrillar proteins: Physical and biochemical perspectives

Abstract

Myofibrillar protein (MP), as the main meat protein, have high nutritional value. However, the relatively poor solubility of MP at low ionic strength sometimes limits the utilization of MP to produce products rich in meat protein. Accordingly, appropriate modification of MP is needed to improve their functional properties. In general, MP modification strategies are categorized into biochemical and physical approaches. Different from other available reviews, the review focuses on summarizing the principles and applications of several techniques of physical modification, briefly depicting biochemical modification as a comparison. Modification of MP with a certain intensity of direct current magnetic field, ultrasound, high pressure, microwave, or radio frequency can improve solubility, emulsification, stability, and gel formation. Of these, magnetic field and microwave-modified MP have shown some potential in reducing salt in meat. These physical techniques can also have synergistic effects with other conditions (temperature, pH, physical or chemical techniques) to compensate for the deficiencies of individual treatment techniques. However, these strategies still need further research for practical applications.

HIGHLIGHTS

The current status and findings of research on direct current magnetic field in meat processing are presented.

Several physical strategies to modify the microstructure and functional properties of MPs.

The synergistic effects of these techniques in combination with other methods to modify MPs are discussed.

Keywords:

• Myofibrillar protein
• biochemical factors
• physical processing techniques
• direct current magnetic field
• protein functional properties

Conflicts of interest

The authors declare that they have no known competitive financial interests or personal relationships that could affect the reporting of this paper.

Funding

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant numbers 32172239, 31771993)