Effects of prechilling parameters on water-holding capacity of chilled pork and optimization of prechilling parameters using response surface methodology

The objective of the study was to investigate how prechilling (PC; first chilling stage in 2-stage rapid chilling) parameters affected water-holding capacity (WHC) of chilled pork (Sus scrofa) and to use response surface methodology (RSM) to optimize the PC parameters. The results showed that temperature, time, and air velocity were the major PC parameters that influenced the WHC of chilled pork significantly (P < 0.05). The significance for these effects followed the order: air velocity > temperature > time. The optimal conditions for prechilling determined by Box-Behnkan statistical design were as follows: air velocity, 2.2 m/s; PC temperature, -22 degrees C; and PC time, 1.5 h. The mean drip loss under optimal conditions was 4.29%.