EN
The influence of high pressure on mammal or fish meat components is complex. High pressure induces a denaturation of meat proteins but in a different way than high temperature. Pressure leads to an increase in the solubilization of myofibrillar proteins at a low salt concentration and causes their gelation even at ambient temperature. Such gels have better properties than those obtained by heating. High pressure in a range of 150-500 MPa produces drastic changes in the colour of the red muscles of mammal meat and dark muscles of fish. The colour of meat becomes pink and turns into grey-brown. These changes in the meat colour make it impossible to sell the products as fresh meat. However, high pressure technology can be used to extend the shelf-life and to improve the tenderness of cooked or processed meat. The effects of pressure on the solid-liquid phase transition of water can be applied for pressure-assisted freezing and pressure-assisted thawing of food. Freezing under pressure leads to the formation of ice forms which have grater density than ice I. In these conditions the destruction of meat structure is minimal and therefore the quality of products is better than in the case of standard freezing.