The continuous distribution of T2 values is presented in Fig. 6
and shows three T2 components in whole and minced meat (T2–1,
T2–3 and T2–4) and a fourth for comminuted meat (T2–2). These components represent mobilities of water fractions from lowest (T2–1)
i.e. most tightly bound, to highest (T2–4) i.e. most loosely bound. All
components were considerably less mobile than a free water standard which had a relaxation time of approximately 1800 ms (5 °C)
compared to a maximum observed time of 292 ms (T2–4) for the
meat samples measured in this study. Table 2 shows the T2 relaxation times and% peak areas found in fresh, conventionally or RF
thawed meat. Whereas thawing treatments (RF or conventional
air method) had little effect on the % peak areas, differences in