Improving energy efficiency in meat processing: Accelerated cooling of pork in sodium chloride solutions

¹ University of Ruse “Angel Kanchev”, Branch-Razgrad, 7200 Razgrad, Bulgaria
² Analytical and Physical Chemistry Department, University of Food Technologies, 4002 Plovdiv, Bulgaria

^* Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of sodium chloride (NaCl) concentration on the cooling dynamics and energy efficiency of pork meat chilling under refrigerated immersion. Experiments were conducted using NaCl solutions at concentrations of 1, 5, 10, and 15%, alongside a distilled water control, under identical refrigeration conditions. Temperature measurements were recorded every 2 min over a 16h period, with particular focus on the time required for the meat’s core temperature to reach 4 °C and 3 °C. Results demonstrated that immersion in NaCl solutions accelerated cooling compared to water, indicating improved heat transfer. The enhanced cooling efficiency implies potential reductions in energy consumption during refrigeration. Post-chilling measurements also evaluated weight change and salt uptake. These findings support the use of saline solutions as a practical strategy to improve energy efficiency and cooling performance in meat processing systems.