The dissertation is devoted to the development of approaches for the use of electrochemically activated water in the technological processes of manufacturing food products in order to improve structure formation in the process of their production.
Based on the analysis of the main known methods of water activation it was established that due to technological advantages, the electrochemical method of water activation is the most promising, in particular due to the ability to adjust the pH value and redox potential, on which the possibility of various chemical processes in water depends.
Rational modes of the process of electrochemical activation of water were selected: the rate of water consumption in the electrolyzer was 18 l/h, because at such a rate water treatment was more efficient, based on the kinetics of changes in RP and pH of water in the "hard water" and "soft water" modes, the selected mode was "hard water", since the properties of such water are characteristic of artesian drinking water.
Studies of the physical and chemical indicators of water indicated that the level of general hardness of water correlates with the obtained data on the content of calcium and magnesium. The content of sulfates in the anolyte was lower by 33.3 %, and no sulfates were detected in the catholyte. Chloride content in catholyte was significantly lower than in artesian water – by 90.3 %, and in anolyte – by 11.4 %. This is explained by the fact that inorganic compounds, including toxic ones (nitrites and sulfates), undergo cathodic and anodic oxidative destruction, strong inorganic oxidants (including chlorine) are inactivated during reactions.
An improvement in the functional and technological properties and rheological characteristics of corn starch was established when activated water was added: when catholyte was added, the water–absorbing capacity and moisture–holding capacity of starch decreased by 26% and 10%, and when anolyte was added, they increased by 18% and 36%.
Improvement of the functional characteristics of meat pates with starch suspension on activated water, especially anolyte, was established. The samples on the anolyte reach the maximum value of moisture–binding capacity in relation to the weight of the test sample – 100% both before and after pasteurization.
It was proven that activated water in the process of heat treatment of raw meat pates affected the process of modifying the protein and carbohydrate structures of meat pates, thereby improving their rheological characteristics, in particular, contributing to a much earlier achievement of stable viscosity, compared to meat pates with artesian water. The storage modulus and loss modulus of samples with 2% starch in suspension on activated water, as well as the loss tangent, indicated that with such suspensions, meat pates will acquire the properties of a stronger gel and be better structured.
It was established that the samples of meat pates with activated water kept the structure more intact under the influence of deformation. Regardless of the dosage of the starch suspension, the shear stress values of the samples on the anolyte in the time range 0 – 300 s were significantly higher than the values of the samples on the catholyte and artesian water. At the final stage, the shear stress of the sample on the anolyte with 2% starch in suspension practically reached zero. This testifies to the ability of this sample, having acquired the necessary structure, to be less exposed to the external influence of deformation and to keep the structure more intact.
Studies of free and bound water in meat pates on the derivatograph showed that the endoeffect of the samples on the anolyte was observed at a temperature lower than that of the sample on the catholyte and especially the control, which allows lowering the base temperature of pasteurization of the meat pate in the case of using activated water, and especially anolyte. The rate of decomposition of meat pates with starch suspension with artesian water (control) was significantly higher than for samples with activated water. Samples of meat pates on activated water were more thermally stable.
The positive influence of activated water on the structure and other sensory indicators of meat pates was proven, since according to the results of the tasting, the sample prepared with 2% starch in suspension on catholyte was the best – 4.60 points and on anolyte – 4.57. These formulations were found to be better than the corresponding control, which received 4.43 points.
Taking into account the results of the performed scientific studies, the technical conditions (TU U 10.1–02070938–313:2023) and technological instructions (TI TU U 10.1–02070938–313:2023) "Meat pates with starch suspensions on activated water" were developed and approved in the established order. The industrial approval of the work results was carried out at the enterprise "BORYSFEN–TRADE" LLC.
