Fresh pork quality during storage is a critical concern for the meat industry, as postmortem glycolysis can lead to undesirable changes in color, moisture, and texture. A new study published in Food Quality and Safety reveals that applying an electrostatic field (EF) during near-freezing storage can significantly slow this metabolic process, offering a potential method to extend meat quality.
Researchers from the Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, and the College of Food Science and Engineering, Ocean University of China, investigated the effects of EF on pork muscle stored at −1 ± 0.5 °C with a continuous 12 kV EF, compared to conventional refrigeration at 4 °C and near-freezing storage without EF. The study, reported in Food Quality and Safety (DOI: 10.1093/fqsafe/fyag047), tracked samples over 120 hours postmortem.
The team measured key metabolites and enzyme activities. At 120 hours, pork treated with EF had 17.5% less lactate than conventionally refrigerated samples, while glycogen and ATP consumption were about 14.9% and 37.3% lower, respectively. The EF-treated samples also retained more pyruvate and showed lower Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase activity. Protein analysis revealed that early exposure promoted larger protein aggregates, but from 36 to 120 hours, proteins became smaller, more dispersed, and more ordered.
Enzyme modifications changed with storage time. The treatment tended to reduce phosphorylation and increase acetylation of glycolytic enzymes, consistent with slower glycolytic activity. Correlation analysis linked protein structural shifts with enzyme modification levels, suggesting that the EF influences the molecular environment in which glycolytic enzymes operate.
“The preservation effect is not simply a consequence of keeping pork colder,” the authors noted. “The EF appears to influence protein conformation and the chemical switches that regulate enzyme activity.” The time-dependent response is particularly important: proteins initially unfolded and aggregated, then became more dispersed and structurally ordered during prolonged treatment. This sequence offers a possible explanation for the slower conversion of pyruvate into lactate and better retention of cellular energy.
These findings provide a mechanistic foundation for developing electrostatic-field-assisted cold storage for fresh meat supply chains. By slowing pH decline and conserving ATP, the technology may help protect water-holding capacity, texture, appearance, and saleable quality during processing, transport, and retail display. The low-power 30-watt system also suggests potential for energy-conscious preservation, although commercial benefits were not directly tested in this experiment.
Future work should validate the proposed causal link between protein structural changes and enzyme post-translational modifications, including through molecular dynamics simulations. Larger studies should also assess microbial safety, sensory quality, shelf life, equipment scale-up, temperature fluctuations, operating costs, and performance across different muscles and meat products before industrial adoption.
