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Ultrasound (US) and basic electrolyzed water (BEW) are considered emerging technologies; however, few studies have addressed the combination of both technologies in emulsified meat products. This study aimed to evaluate the individual and combined effect of US (25 kHz; 175 W; 20 min) and BEW (pH 10.99; -92.33 mV) on the microbiological and oxidative profile of low-sodium mortadellas (30% of NaCl reduction) stored for 90 days at 5 °C. The use of BEW alone increased the pH and reduced the redox potential of mortadellas, while the US did not affect these parameters. The combined application of US and BEW reduced the lactic acid bacteria counts by up to 0.36 log CFU/g. In addition, BEW stimulated the growth of lipolytic bacteria. The treatments subjected to US application alone showed a lower growth rate of lipolytic bacteria, lower lipid and protein oxidation, and higher ΔE* values. Therefore, the application of US and BEW may be a promising strategy to improve the microbiological and oxidative quality of mortadella during storage., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Pre-chilling leads to a temperature decline of the pre-rigor muscle of poultry carcasses, and a reduction of the initial bacterial load may occur. Both ultrasound (US) and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) have been used alone in the meat industry for the manufacture of emulsions, pasteurization, and prevention of bacteria growth. However, the impact of the combination of these technologies during the pre-chilling of chicken carcasses has not been evaluated. In this study, breast chicken cylinders (CBCs) were pre-chilled for 10 min at 10 °C using SAEW and different US frequencies (25 and 130 kHz). The microbiological characteristics, lipid and protein oxidation, shear force, and anaerobic glycolysis were evaluated. The US + SAEW combination led to an effective reduction (P < 0.05) of enterobacteria, mesophilic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and psychrotrophic bacteria, while the lipid and protein oxidation, shear force, anaerobic glycolysis, and muscle structure were not affected (P > 0.05). Therefore, the combination of these technologies may be promising in the pre-chilling stage of chicken carcasses., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)