Mechanism of low-voltage electrostatic field-assisted supercooling storage on the lightness stability in fresh beef steak: Insights from water-holding capacity.

The effects of low-voltage electrostatic field (LVEF)-assisted supercooling storage on the lightness stability of beef steaks and the contribution of water-holding capacity (WHC) were investigated. The results showed that LVEF-assisted supercooling storage significantly improved lightness stability and WHC, and the saturation value was negatively correlated with drip loss (P < 0.05). This study elucidates the underlying mechanisms governing WHC and lightness changes under LVEF-assisted supercooling storage, demonstrating that LVEF improves the visual lightness of steaks during 0-15 days of storage by modulating the thickness of the subsurface metmyoglobin layer at the macroscopic level, and water distribution and postmortem microstructural remodeling at the microscopic level. The findings confirm the unique lightness-enhancing effect of LVEF in fresh meat preservation and provide theoretical support for its application in cold-chain storage.