Drying kinetics using superheated steam and quality attributes of dried pork slices for different thickness, seasoning and fibers distribution

Drying pork slice by superheated steam was proposed in this study. Sirloin muscle pork meat was sliced parallel and perpendicular to the fiber direction with thicknesses of 1 and 2 mm. The sliced samples were divided into two groups: unseasoned and seasoned pork, and were dried by superheated steam at a temperature of 140 degrees C. The experimental results showed that thicker pork slice needed more drying time, which led to more shrinkage, darker and redder dried product as compared to the thinner pork slice. Seasoning also extended the drying time of the seasoned pork slice and made the dried seasoned pork slice darker and yellower, but less in the values of hardness, toughness and shrinkage. Slicing directions did not have any significantly effect on drying time and color of dried pork slice. The parallel slice, however, lowered the values of hardness, toughness and shrinkage of dried pork. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.