Equivalent-circuit electrical impedance spectroscopy as a predictor of textural quality of emulsified sausages under ohmic and conventional cooking

Electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is a non-destructive technique used to assess membrane integrity and ionic transport in biological tissues. However, data on how industrial thermal treatments influence meat impedance and whether EIS parameters predict texture remain limited. This study evaluated emulsified chicken and pork mini-sausages cooked to 80 °C via conventional heating (CH; water bath) or ohmic heating (OH) at 5 and 10 V cm−1 (OH5/OH10) to quantify EIS changes and their potential correlation with textural properties. Broadband electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS, 1 Hz–1 MHz) was performed, and the cell-disintegration index (Zp) was calculated. Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) was used to quantify hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, chewiness, and adhesiveness. Impedance spectra were fitted with an R–CPE equivalent circuit comprising a series resistor and a constant-phase element. Effects of cooking method on EIS parameters and texture were assessed; EIS–TPA correlations were quantified, with the strongest associations observed for hardness and springiness. OH10 yielded the shortest cooking times (85–95 s), followed by CH (135–140 s) and OH5 (365–375 s). In chicken sausages, OH preserved or enhanced hardness compared with CH. In pork sausages, CH caused pronounced softening (−26 %), whereas OH limited the loss to 7–14 %. Zp was consistently higher in CH-treated samples and in pork, indicating greater membrane disruption. Equivalent-circuit analysis identified R as the most responsive EIS parameter, increasing after CH in chicken and across all treatments in pork. EIS with R–CPE modeling thus provides a rapid, non-destructive proxy for texture in emulsified meat. Importantly, OH, particularly at 10 V cm−1, preserved or improved texture while shortening cooking time. Collectively, these outcomes position EIS as a practical tool for real-time, in-line quality monitoring and process optimization on industrial cooking lines.