Water holding capacity, dielectric properties and light microscopy of conventionally and ohmically cooked meat emulsion batter

Samples of meat emulsion batter were steam- or ohmically cooked (at voltage densities ranging from 3 to 7 V cm−1) to target end-point temperatures and compared using expressible fluids (EFs), dielectric properties and light microscopic techniques. EF testing revealed higher levels of expressible moisture in steam-cooked samples (P<0.05) and greater amounts of expressible suspended solids in the highest voltage density ohmically cooked samples (i.e. 7 V cm−1) (P<0.05). ε′ (dielectric constant) and ε″ (loss factor) dielectric values at 300 and 3,000 MHz were higher for steam-cooked samples, suggesting greater amounts of loosely bound water. Subsequent light microscopic evaluation of samples suggested slightly greater levels of physical disruption in ohmically cooked samples, which could have affected the ability of the emulsion to bind water and fat.