Conventionally cooked and UV-A light dehydrated beef jerky: Effects on physicochemical properties

This study compared beef jerky produced by conventional cooking and UV-A light dehydration. The analyses included the isopiestic method, colorimetric analysis, electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, and microbial inactivation studies. The primary criterion was a water activity (a_w) value of < 0.85 to optimize UV-A dehydration time, taking 4.5 h to achieve this level. UV-A light dehydration resulted in significantly less browning compared to conventional cooking, yielding a duller, less red product (P < 0.05). Electron microscopy showed that UV-A light dehydration maintained a more uniform microstructure, while conventional cooking caused more structural deffects. Microbial inactivation studies demonstrated the antimicrobial effect of UV-A light by reducing accessible water (a_w < 0.85). The hygroscopicity of UV-A light dehydrated jerky was similar to conventionally cooked jerky. Overall, UV-A light-dehydrated beef jerky had similar characteristics to conventionally cooked jerky but with notable differences that could appeal to specific consumer preferences.