Effect of Pulsed Electric Field Treatment on N-Hydroxyacetylneuraminic Acid Content and Eating Quality of Pork

This study investigated how to reduce the content of N-hydroxyacetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) in pork. By using Neu5Gc standard solution, porcine submandibular gland mucin (PSM) solution, meat pieces and minced meat as experimental subjects, and high performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection (HPLC-FLD) for quantitative analysis, the effect of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatment (with 50 cycles of electric shock at 1–4 kV/cm) on the content of total and free Neu5Gc and eating quality attributes (pH, color difference and texture quality) in pork was explored. The results showed that the content of free Neu5Gc in Neu5Gc standard solution showed a decreasing trend as PEF intensity increased, and significantly decreased at PEF intensity of 3 and 4 kV/cm (P 0.05). Therefore, PEF can effectively reduce the content of Neu5Gc in pork and the chewiness and elasticity of pork pieces, but it also shows an adverse effect on the pH and color of pork