Freezing induced quality deterioration and protein characteristic alterations of beef muscle: implications of freezing rate

To investigate the effect of freezing rate on the quality deterioration of meat and the mechanisms behind it, the present study conducted a comparative analysis on beef quality attributes, protein physicochemical properties and protein-water interactions between slow freezing (SF) and fast freezing (FF). Compared to SF, FF shortened the time spent in the maximum ice crystallization zone, leading to smaller, more uniform ice crystals and less microstructural damage. At the molecular level, FF better preserved the native conformation of myofibrillar protein, maintaining higher α-helix content, higher solubility, and stronger protein-water interactions. Consequently, FF samples exhibited significantly superior product quality, including higher water-holding capacity (lower thawing loss and cooking loss), improved color stability, and better texture profile (higher hardness, springiness, and lower shear force). The results demonstrated that fast freezing effectively minimizes freeze-induced damage (quality deterioration and protein cold denaturation), thereby preserving the quality of frozen-thawed beef.