This study aimed to determine the usage potential of vacuum-dehydrated ground beef in beef patty production. First, the fresh ground beef was dehydrated in vacuum dryers at 25, 35, and 45 °C for dehydration kinetics and color change. Then, the vacuum-dehydrated ground beef was rehydrated, and three different beef patties were separately produced using fresh ground beef, the rehydrated ground beef, and a mixture of the two (1:1). According to the results, the dehydration significantly decreased the L*, a*, and b* values of ground beef; however, after rehydration, the L* and b* values were not significantly different from the control values. The cooking loss for beef patties produced with rehydrated ground beef was higher than the control. However, there was no significant difference in the sensory of the beef patties among the treatments. In conclusion, there is potential for using vacuum-dehydrated ground beef in beef patty production.

Ultrasound-assisted vacuum drying (USVD) has emerged as an increasingly studied food drying approach to overcome mass and energy transfer limitations associated with conventional vacuum drying. This study aims to clarify the behavior of the USVD process by synthesizing findings from product- and condition-specific studies. This review critically examines 38 core USVD studies published between 2014 and 2025, complemented by related comparative research, to assess the effects of USVD on drying efficiency, product quality, and key process parameters across diverse food matrices. The reviewed literature consistently demonstrates that USVD enhances drying kinetics, with increases in drying rate reaching approximately 94%, depending on product characteristics and operating conditions. Due to shorter drying times, USVD also provides potential economic advantages through reduced energy costs, equipment utilization and overall process costs. Furthermore, research has found that USVD retains quality attributes including color and bioactivity of a wide range of foods. USVD-dried products commonly exhibit improved microstructural integrity and enhanced porosity, which imparts superior rehydration. In conclusion, this study highlights the strong potential of USVD to enhance drying efficiency while preserving product quality.

The study investigated the effects of chloride salts (control: 100% NaCl, salt mixture I: NaCl/KCl (50/50), salt mixture II: NaCl/KCl/CaCl₂ (40/40/20), salt mixture III: NaCl/KCl/CaCl₂/MgCl₂ (30/40/20/10)) on enzymatic activity, lipid oxidation, and volatile compounds in reduced-sodium salt pastırma, a Turkish dry-cured meat product. Lipid oxidation and instrumental color values were not affected by different salt mixtures. Salt mixtures II and III decreased pH value (p < 0.05). However, the mean pH value did not fall below 5.5 in any sample. The salt mixture treatment had significant effect on water activity, cathepsin B, and cathepsin B + L. In contrast, a_w value was under 0.90 in all treatments. The highest mean values for cathepsin B and B + L were determined in the control group with 11.69 ± 2.73 and 85.82 ± 12.65 U g⁻¹ × 10⁻³ dry matter, respectively. The closest correlation for lipolytic enzyme activities was determined by the mixture II and III groups, while a closer correlation was observed between salt mixtures I and III in terms of proteolytic enzyme activities. With regard to volatile compounds, there was a closer relationship between the control and salt mixture I. As a result, it can be concluded that salt mixture I in reduced-sodium salt pastırma showed closer results to the control group.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different drying methods on salted goose meat, with a particular focus on its microstructure, drying kinetics, color, TBARS (Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), rehydration, and shrinkage parameters. Goose breast meat with 6% (w/w) salt was dried using hot air and infrared drying at temperatures of 55 °C, 65 °C, and 75 °C, as well as microwave at power levels of 120 W, 350 W, and 460 W. The results revealed that increasing temperature and power levels increased the drying rate in all drying methods. The microwave-dried samples at 460 W and 350 W showed the highest average L* values, followed by the samples dried at 75 °C using infrared and hot air. On the other hand, the lowest temperature (55 °C) and power (120 W) levels resulted in the highest average TBARS values across all drying processes. Furthermore, the highest shrinkage rate was observed at the highest temperature (75 °C) or power level (460 W), while the highest average rehydration rate was recorded in the samples dried at 75 °C using infrared and hot air. Considering the microstructure of the dried meats, the drying method and the temperature/power conditions were found to cause a change in the fibril structures to varying extents.

Various drying techniques are employed for the dehydration of fresh meat, and the evaluation of drying kinetics is crucial for determining parameters such as drying rate and energy efficiency. Recent studies have focused on developing innovative drying techniques, among which ultrasound-assisted vacuum drying (UAVD) has gained prominence. In this study, the drying process of turkey breast meat was investigated using both vacuum drying (VD) and UAVD at different temperatures (50°C, 60°C, and 70°C). The drying kinetics were analyzed using six different thin-layer drying models. Samples were dried until their moisture content fell below 20%, and the obtained drying data were successfully fitted to the six thin-layer drying models, with R² values ranging from 0.983 to 0.999. The logarithmic drying model was identified as the best-fitting model, and UAVD was found to be more effective than conventional vacuum drying. Moreover, drying efficiency in UAVD improved with increasing temperature, demonstrating its potential as an advanced drying technique for poultry meat processing.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different chloride salts (four formulation with NaCl, KCl, CaCl₂, and MgCl₂) at 2% w/w level on the pH, color, sensory, and cooking properties of beef patties formulated with two levels of tail fat (10% and 20%). The results indicated that the use of CaCl₂ and/or MgCl₂ resulted in a significant (P < 0.01) decrease in the pH values of both uncooked and cooked beef patties. The salt factor significantly influenced the a* value of uncooked beef patties (P < 0.05). It also affected the a* (P < 0.01) and b* (P < 0.01) values of cooked beef patties.. The highest L* value (P < 0.05) in uncooked beef patties was observed with 20% fat usage. Use of CaCl₂ and/or MgCl₂ in the salt formulation significantly affected the cooking yield, moisture retention (P < 0.01), patty diameter, and shrinkage parameters (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the fat factor significantly influenced all cooking properties at the P < 0.01 level, except for the decrease in thickness. Except for salinity and bitterness, the salt factor significantly influenced the sensory scores of the samples. The use of CaCl₂ and/or MgCl₂ in the salt mixture for beef patties resulted in lower sensory scores for the product's sensory parameters. In conclusions, KCl was found to produce satisfactory results as a substitute for NaCl. In contrast, it was concluded that CaCl₂ and/or MgCl₂ salts were not suitable substitutes for NaCl.