Energy-efficient chilling and storage of beef using slurry ice: Assessing of chilling efficiency and quality changes

The study investigated the impact of slurry ice (SI) at -1.5 °C (SI1) and -2.5 °C (SI2) on chilling efficiency, quality of beef and energy consumption during chilling and subsequent 24-day storage, in comparison with conventional 4 °C refrigeration (RF) and 0 °C crushed ice (CI) treatments. SI2 achieved a central temperature reduction to 0 °C in beef within a 5-hour period, adhering to the standards for very fast chilling. The chilling rates of SI2 surpassed those of RF and CI by 939.82 % and 595.34 %, respectively. Beef treated with SI1 and SI2 exhibited superior microbial safety, with the total viable counts remaining below 5 log CFU/g, and 1.5–2 log CFU/g lower than those in the RF and CI groups by day 24. SI also significantly slowed the deterioration of beef quality by maintaining lower levels of total volatile basic nitrogen, thiobarbituric acid values, peroxide values and carbonyl contents compared to the RF and CI treatments (P < 0.05). Notably, SI did not significantly improve water-holding capacity, and cold shortening with reduced tenderness was observed in some samples. Furthermore, SI achieved a reduction in energy consumption of approximately 24.7 % and 80.1 % compared to the RF and CI, respectively. These results suggest that slurry ice, particularly at -2.5 °C, may serve as an energy-efficient chilling and preservation technology for chilled beef, extending shelf life and improving quality retention.