3. Results and discussion
3.1. Weight loss (%)
The weight loss increased linearly with increasing temperature for
both PEF and water bath treated samples up to a ΔT of 22 °C after
which the weight loss of water bath treated samples increased sharply
up to ΔT of 30 °C (Fig. 2). The PEF treated samples lost more weight
than the water bath treated samples between ΔT of 5 and 22 °C while
at ΔT of 30 °C, water bath treated samples lost more weight than PEF
treated samples. PEF treated samples processed under conditions that
induced temperature differences of 13 and 22 °C had significantly
greater (Pb0.05) weight loss than water bath treated samples. A possible
explanation to this is that, PEF treatment may have led to the
formation of pores in the cell membrane which caused more fluid
loss. Another possibility could be that the electric field enhanced the
movement of free water out of the meat leading to increased drip
loss.