Effects of sous vide combined with high pressure on the water-binding properties and texture of moisture-enhanced restructured pork loin

This study aimed to investigate the effects of sous vide (SV) cooking under high pressure (HP) on the water-binding properties and texture of moisture-enhanced restructured pork (RP). The RP was prepared by combining pork loin with salt and κ-carrageenan as binding agents, and additional water to achieve a final sample with 83.2% moisture. SV cooking was conducted at 55 °C for 24 h under pressure conditions of 0.1 (SV-C), 100 (SV-100), and 200 MPa (SV-200). SV cooking under HP effectively suppressed cooking loss compared to SV-C. Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis revealed that SV-200 treatment resulted in a decrease in free water content and an increase in immobilized water within the myofibrils. Compared with SV-C, SV cooking under HP significantly improved the textural properties of RP by reducing hardness and chewiness while increasing cohesiveness and springiness. Microstructural analysis indicated that the formation of a continuous network between κ-carrageenan and meat proteins among meat particles during SV cooking under HP resulted in effective water retention, thereby influencing the texture of the RP. In addition, unlike the brown appearance observed with SV-C, SV cooking under HP produced a pink appearance, suggesting that moisture-enhanced RP could be positively utilized for the development of high-value products such as steak. These findings indicate that SV cooking under HP is a promising alternative technique for converting pork loin into high-value steak products, reflecting its potential for value-added utilization of pork loin.