Impact of High-Pressure Processing on Meat Color Attributes
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.48165/jms.2026.21.02.01Keywords:
High-pressure processing; Meat color; Myoglobin; Cooked meat; Non-thermal processing; Color stability; Protein denaturation; CIE Lab*; Meat quality; Clean-label strategies.Abstract
Meat color is among the foremost quality indices governing consumer purchasing decisions. Traditional thermal processing often leads to unwanted discoloration in meat, mostly because heat denatures myoglobin and triggers a series of chemical changes. High-pressure processing, or HPP, has emerged as a promising non-thermal alternative. It can inactivate harmful microbes while keeping much of the meat’s nutritional value and original taste intact. However, maintaining the desired meat color is a more challenging matter. The impact of HPP on the color of cooked meat depends on exactly how pressure affects myoglobin and myofibrillar proteins, making the underlying interaction complicated. Once pressures reach the 200–600 MPa range, meat tends to get lighter (higher L*) and less red (lower a*). This is caused by pressure accelerating pigment oxidation and light scattering within the meat; these effects vary according to pressure level and duration, processing temperatures, type of muscle, pH values, and product ingredients. The changes in meat color vary depending on whether the meat is heated or high pressure (HP) treated, as thermal processing and high-pressure processing alter meat color via distinct mechanisms. Heat breaks covalent bonds and causes even, widespread protein denaturation. HPP, on the other hand, mainly disrupts non-covalent interactions, so the cooked look it creates stems from a separate mechanism altogether. When it comes to pre-cooked or cured meats, HPP’s tendency to cause discoloration drops off. That is because pigments like nitrosylhemochrome, typical in cured meats, are much more stable under high pressure. To maintain meat's appealing appearance the objective is, clean-label solutions, which appear promising. Plant-based antioxidants, smart packaging, and mixing HPP with techniques like cold plasma or mild heat treatments help counteract color loss. This review summarizes existing scientific knowledge and delineates research priorities for enhancing HPP conditions to attain commercially viable color quality in various meat systems.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Rishi Kumar, Arup Ratan Sen, Suman Talukder, Ashim Kumar Biswas, Sagar Chand
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