Effects of high hydrostatic pressure on the quality and safety of beef after the addition of conjugated linoleic acid

• We infused conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) to beef using high pressure (HP).
• CLA level, cooking loss, L*-value, and pH of beef were increased by HP.
• Aerobic bacteria were not detected in HP treated beef at 450 and 600 MPa.
• The beef with CLA and HP (300 MPa) showed an acceptable sensory quality.

We evaluated the effect of high pressure (HP) for infusing of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) on the quality and storage stability of beef loin. To beef loins in a bag before sealing, CLA alone (1%; CLA), CLA + 0.15% lecithin (CL), or CL + 0.001% α-tocopherol (CLT) were poured into the bag, vacuum-packed, and HP-treated with 0.1, 300, 450, and 600 MPa for 5 min. CLA level, cooking loss, and pH were significantly increased, when pressure increased from 0.1 to 600 MPa. Increases in pressure levels and storage periods increased TBARS about 1.04 and 3.85 fold values. Total aerobic bacteria were not detected in HP treated samples (450 and 600 MPa). CL or CLT with HP (300 MPa) caused higher overall acceptance and willingness to buy. Hence, the addition of CLA with HP (300 MPa) can improve the nutritional and microbiological quality of beef loin with acceptable sensory quality.Industrial relevanceHigh pressure (HP) processing is a safe and consumer-friendly preservation technology that can eliminate pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms and extends product shelf-life without detrimental effects of thermal processing or use of preservatives or additives. However, meat with lower intramuscular fat content can be rejected by some consumers due to the lack of suitable sensorial qualities. On the other hand, meat with higher intramuscular fat content, beef in particular, may also cause consumers' concern because of the elevated level of saturated fatty acids. This particular study demonstrated that HP in combination with the infusion of CLA can be used for the enhancement of nutritional and microbiological quality of beef. Based on the results, it can be suggested that not only the infusion of CLA but also other oils originated from plants in combination with HP treatment can modify fatty acid composition.