Progress in Research on the Effect of Sous-Vide on the Eating Quality and Shelf-life of Meat Products

More recently, with the increasing health awareness of consumers and the upgrading of people’s consumption concept, developing more nutritious, healthier and safer meat products has become a hot topic for the meat industry. Sous-vide (SV), a novel processing technology in which fresh or slightly processed raw materials are packaged in vacuum sealed bags and then cooked for a long time in a constant-temperature water bath or sous-vide machine, has some advantages, such as low heating temperature and uniform heating. More interestingly, SV can significantly improve the tenderness and juiciness of meat products, reduce the loss of nutrients, eliminate the off-flavor and hazardous substances generated by high-temperature cooking. However, its application is limited by various factors (e.g. temperature, time and vacuum degree) that affect the product quality. Meanwhile, how to prolong the shelf-life to the maximum extent and improve the microbial safety of meat products is challenging. This article summarizes the process parameters affecting SV and systematically reviews recent progress in understanding the influence of SV on the eating quality and shelf-life of meat products. This review is expected to provide technical guidance for exploring the processing characteristics of SV, improving the quality and extending the shelf-life of meat products as well as developing new products.