This study has analyzed the effect of different factors on variation of meat weight due to juice loss, and variation
of water content of pork samples heated in a water bath. The weight loss (WL) was influenced by initial water
content of rawmeat which can be connected to meat pH, muscle type, and by pre-salting. WLwas also influenced
by sample thickness and by nature of the surrounding fluid. These effects were significant at 50 °C and in thinner
samples but decreased as meat temperature and sample thickness increased. WL showed no significant difference
in response to prior freezing, applying a surface constraint during heating or varying meat salt content
from 0.8 to 2.0%. The results were interpreted from literature knowledge on protein denaturation, contraction
and, transport phenomena. Reliably predicting WL fromwater content variation during heating hinges on taking
into account the loss of dry matter and the possible effects of meat pH, sample size or surrounding fluid.