Enhancing salt and moisture diffusion in beef by ultrasound-assisted tumbling: Insights from mathematical modeling, hyperspectral imaging, and finite element analysis.
This study aimed to explore the influence of ultrasound-assisted tumbling on mass transfer efficiency during beef brining. One-dimensional mathematical modeling for kinetic simulation, two-dimensional hyperspectral imaging for visualization, and three-dimensional finite element analysis for spatial diffusion simulation were respectively adopted to characterize the diffusion dynamics of salt and moisture in beef. Results indicated that ultrasound-assisted tumbling significantly increased the diffusion coefficients of salt and moisture (p < 0.05). Compared with diffusion, Peleg, Azuara, and Zugarramurdi-Lupín models, the Weibull model was identified as the most effective one in predicting the diffusion kinetics of salt and moisture (Rs2 ≥ 0.990, Rm2 ≥ 0.987). The visualization results of two-dimensional hyperspectral imaging and three-dimensional finite element simulation consistently indicated that the distribution of salt and moisture dynamically evolved during diffusion, exhibiting transient and irregular features, thereby reflecting the complex and nonlinear nature of mass transfer in meat. This study provides new insights and approaches for investigating the diffusion behavior of brine in meat products.