Mary Ann Kent
Technologist – Meat ScienceResearch Interests
My research interests focus on meat science, muscle biology, and food processing technologies, with particular emphasis on understanding the biochemical mechanisms that influence meat quality. I am interested in post-mortem muscle metabolism, glycolysis, proteolysis and factors affecting the tenderness, flavour, and overall eating quality of beef. My work has explored innovative processing technologies, including ultrasound and high-pressure processing, and their effects on enzymatic activity, protein degradation, and metabolomic changes in meat. I am also interested in applying advanced analytical techniques, such as metabolomics and proteomics and investigating how these may relate to key quality attributes, including tenderness, flavour, and colour.
Current Projects
MTI Hot Boning
Education
Ph.D. Food Science (2019-2025)
University College Cork (UCC)
Thesis: “Investigation of the effects of emerging technologies on the kinetics of glycolytic and proteolytic enzymes relevant for meat quality”
B.Sc. Food Science (2015 – 2019) (1H)
University College Dublin (UCD)
View publications by Mary Ann Kent
Kent, M. A., Mullen, A. M., O’Neill, E. & Álvarez, C. (2024). Assessing the impact of ultrasound on the rate and extent of early post-mortem glycolysis in bovine Longissimus thoracis et lumborum. Meat Science, 214, 109531, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2024.109531
Kent, M. A., Cabral, E. M., Mullen, A. M., O’Neill, E. & Álvarez, C. (2024). The impact of ultrasound treatment on glycolytic enzymes when applied to crude extracts from early post-mortem bovine muscle. Ultrasonics Sonochemistry, 104, 106842. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ultsonch.2024.106842
Kent, M. A., Cabral, E. M., Mullen, A. M., O’Neill, E. & Álvarez, C. (2025). Evaluating high pressure processing as a strategy to accelerate water loss and its effect on eating quality in dry aged beef: A preliminary study. Applied Food Research, 5(1), 100786. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.afres.2025.100786