Sous-vide cooking process and its effect on the quality and shelf life of beef steaks

Roxana Reaño Rivera J.; Christian Pesantes Arriola G.; Milagros Villalobos Meneses B.; Alexis Higinio Rubio V.; Magaly Orellana Berrocal G.; Emilia Torres Carrera L.; Anastacio Pedro Paucar Luna J. · Proceedings of the LACCEI international Multi-conference for Engineering, Education and Technology (2026) · DOI: 10.18687/laccei2026.1.1.574

Resumen

The present research aimed to characterize the effect of the sous-vide cooking process at moderate temperatures on the quality and shelf life of beef steaks. Thermal lethality studies were conducted using Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 strains inoculated into vacuum-packaged steaks and cooked at 55 °C, 60 °C, and 65 °C for 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80 minutes. Based on microbial counts, decimal reduction times and lethally equivalent time-temperature combinations were determined: 55 °C × 60 minutes, 60 °C × 55 minutes, and 65 °C × 50 minutes. These conditions were applied to evaluate physicochemical quality (pH, water-holding capacity, and cooking loss) and sensory texture, with the treatment at 55 °C for 60 minutes being selected due to its higher water-holding capacity and lower weight loss. Subsequently, the treated steaks were stored under refrigeration (3 ± 2 °C) for 60 days, during which physicochemical (pH), sensory (color, odor, appearance, flavor, and texture), and microbiological parameters (mesophilic aerobes, Staphylococcus aureus, coliforms, Escherichia coli, and Salmonella spp.) were evaluated to estimate shelf life. The results indicated that pH did not vary significantly among cooking treatments and that the texture of steaks cooked at 55 °C and 60 °C was similar. The limiting parameter for shelf life was the mesophilic aerobic count, with an estimated shelf life of 67 days under refrigerated conditions. It is concluded that sous-vide cooking at 55 °C for 60 minutes provides the best quality and allows the shelf life of the steaks to be extended by 60 days compared to conventionally cooked products.

Instituciones: Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos; Universidad Nacional del Callao