Abstract High-intensity ultrasound has been reported as a novel technology applied to improve tenderness in beef, pork, lamb and poultry. Its potential benefit has been studied mostly in individual muscles. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of high-intensity ultrasound (HIU, 24 kHz, 12 W/cm2 for 15 min) on quality traits of whole rabbit carcases. Twenty rabbit carcases were longitudinally split into two sides along the vertebral column. One side of the carcase was kept as Control and the opposed was vacuum packed and ultrasonicated with a probe Hielscher® UP400St. After treatment and 7 d (2 °C) in vacuum packs, m. L. dorsi (LD), Semimembranosus and Semitendinosus were dissected from the carcases to evaluate water holding capacity (WHC), shear force, pH, and colour (L*, a* and b*). Promising results were observed in LD after ultrasonication. LD shear force was reduced (p < .05) from 13.04 to 11.18 N (control vs. sonicated, respectively). The colour was also modified (p < .05), increasing L* from 46.70 to 48.30 units and increasing b* from 4.70 to 6.10 units (control vs. sonicated, respectively). WHC, was reduced (p < .05) by HIU only in loin. The pH, and a* from LD were not modified by ultrasonication (p > .05). In conclusion, HIU applied to rabbit carcases positively influenced LD characteristics, but no changes were observed in leg muscles under this study conditions. The data suggest that the effect of the HIU treatment on the whole carcase may differ according to the muscles. Highlights High intensity ultrasound has been applied to rabbit carcases as a small-scale model for other species. Ultrasonicating vacuum packed carcases of rabbit may lead to different changes of physicochemical characteristics in particular muscles. High-intensity ultrasonication increases L*, a* and tenderness in L. dorsi but it does not affect Semimembranosus-Semitendinosus. High-intensity ultrasound applied to carcases does not have the same effect in all muscles.

中文翻译：

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兔尸体高强度超声处理：初见小规模模型，改善肉质性状

摘要 高强度超声已被报道为一种新技术，可用于改善牛肉、猪肉、羊肉和家禽的嫩度。它的潜在好处主要是在单个肌肉中进行了研究。本研究旨在评估高强度超声（HIU，24 kHz，12 W/cm2，持续 15 分钟）对整只兔胴体品质性状的影响。20 只兔尸体沿脊柱纵向分成两侧。胴体的一侧作为对照，另一侧被真空包装并用探头 Hielscher® UP400St 进行超声处理。在真空包装中处理和 7 天 (2 °C) 后，米。从胴体解剖背背乳杆菌 (LD)、半膜肌和半腱肌以评估持水能力 (WHC)、剪切力、pH 值和颜色（L*、a* 和 b*）。超声处理后在 LD 中观察到了有希望的结果。LD 剪切力从 13.04 降至 11.18 N（分别为对照与超声处理）（p < .05）。颜色也进行了修改（p < .05），将 L* 从 46.70 增加到 48.30 单位，将 b* 从 4.70 增加到 6.10 单位（分别是对照与超声处理）。WHC 仅在腰部被 HIU 降低 (p < .05)。来自 LD 的 pH 值和 a* 未被超声处理改变 (p > .05)。总之，应用于兔尸体的 HIU 对 LD 特性产生积极影响，但在本研究条件下未观察到腿部肌肉的变化。数据表明，HIU 处理对整个胴体的影响可能因肌肉而异。亮点 高强度超声波已应用于兔尸体，作为其他物种的小规模模型。超声真空包装兔尸体可能导致特定肌肉的理化特性发生不同的变化。高强度超声处理增加了背侧背肌的 L*、a* 和压痛，但不影响半膜肌-半腱肌。应用于胴体的高强度超声波对所有肌肉的效果并不相同。