BASIC MEAT PROCESSING

PRINCIPLES OF MEAT PRESERVATION

Meat preservation is principally concerned with the application of measures to delay

meat spoilage, which are caused by microbial, chemical and physical changes. Of these,
microbial spoilage is most common. Microbes thrive in moisture and since meat is 70%-75%
water, it spoils easily through microbial action. Meat, being rich source of nutrients, also
becomes an excellent food for bacteria.

Methods of meat preservation, however different from each are alike, in that, employ
environmental conditions that discourage the growth of microorganisms. They may be grouped
in three broad categories based on a) control of temperature, b) control in moisture and c) by
lethal agents.

Generally, the method to discourage microbial growth can be divided into groups.

1. By exposing meat to high (212◦F or 100◦C) or low (32◦F or 0◦C) temperature.

2. By treating meat with substances which will kill microorganisms or delay microbial
actions.

a) Microbial growth

b) Atmospheric oxidation

c) Enzymatic reaction

Microbial growth:

Meat contains abundant nutrients required for the growth of bacteria, yeast and molds.
Thus, these microorganisms flourish in meat. Eliminating the growth requirement: a)
temperature requirements, b) moisture content, c) considerations in the control of their
growth. This can be achieved by removing one, two or all the required conditions for growth.
Atmospheric Oxidation

Meat fats are susceptible to oxidation, when they are exposed to the molecular oxygen
present in the air. This results in the production of a strong rancid color and flavor in the cooked
product. When this chemical reaction occurs, it constitutes a defect referred to as oxidative
rancidity. More popularly known as rancidity or manta, this can be avoided by eliminating the
factors required for its development. These factors are a) light b) air and c) free meat fats.
While the entry of light and air can be prevented, free fatty acids easily form from the meat
fats. Anti oxidants are compounds which react with certain intermediary products necessary for
the development of free fatty acids.

Enzymatic Reaction:

This is another common cause of food spoilage. Enzymes are protein substances will
help speed up chemical reactions. Enzymatic reaction may reduced or totally stooped if you
subject the meat to temperature below or above the temperature range needed for the activity
of the meat enzymes.
 METHODS OF MEAT PRESERVATION

1. Drying – removal of moisture from meat. The method involves the reduction of the original
water content.

There are 2 ways of drying:

a) Natural sun drying – natural sun drying is used to reduce the moisture content of
meat.

b) Artificial drying – a chamber equipped with heating elements maintained at a

temperature of 110◦F-120◦F and relative humidity of 85% is used for drying. This is more
expensive than sun drying but its dried products have a better quality and can be sold at a
higher price.

2. Smoking – there are 2 methods of smoking:

a) Natural – is the exposure of the meat to wood smoke which causes the deposition og
pyroligenous acid on the meat surface that acts as preservative and flavoring agent. Hardwood
saw dust, guava leaves or any kind of wood may be used.

b) Artificial – smoke flavor is incorporated in the pumping pickle for ham and bacon at
the rate of 1 tsp. /litter.

3. Salting – simple method of dehydration in which the salt caused the withdrawal of water
from the tissue of both the meat and the spoilage organisms, resulting to the shriveling and
inactivation of the cells.

4. Curing – is the application of salt, sugar, salitre and other preservatives and adjunct to
prolong the keeping quality og the product. Other substances such as sugar, spices, vinegar and
wine may be used for different types of cure, but in small quantities, thus, may have no
preservative effect. Although the essential oils retard bacterial growth and vinegar has similar
action.

There are 3 ways of curing:

a. with salt alone

b. with salt and sugar

c. with salt, sugar and saltpeter – sugar cure is either done dry or in sweet pickle brine.
Because the dry method is faster, it is practical for use in tropical countries like the Philippines
where warm weather makes spoilage a serious problem.
5. Refrigeration – is the exposure of the meat to the temperature range of 36◦F to 50◦F to
retard mold and bacterial growth for a limited period.

Home refrigeration - 40◦F to 50◦F

Commercial refrigeration - 36◦F to 38◦F

6. Freezing – is the exposure of the meat to a temperature range of 0◦-32◦F resulting to

crystallization of water in the tissues, thus inactivating the enzymes and the bacteria present.

7. Canning – the hermetic or airtight sealing of food in cans or jars at 212◦F and 10-15 pounds
pressure for a specific period of time.

8. Freeze-drying – is the removal of moisture from the tissues by sublimation of moisture into
vapor without passing the liquid state.

9. Irradiation – transfer of extremely large amount of energy to effect very rapid and selective
biological and chemical changes in meat.
 CURING INGREDIENTS AND THEIR FUNCTIONS

1. Salt – is the primary ingredients used in meat curing. It makes up the bulk of the curing
mixture because it is not only a good preservative but it provides the most desirable flavor.

As preservative, it causes the dehydration of the tissues through osmosis, at the same time
withdraws water from the protoplasm of the spoilage organisms, shriveling and inactivating
their cells.

Salt also plays a role in the binding of meat products. It improves the ability of the meat protein
to retain either the normal moisture content or added water and stabilizes the fat protein
emulsion in sausages.

Three kinds of salt are locally available:

a. solar or coarse salt

b. Pangasinan salt

c. Refines Salt – most suitable for meat curing because it is the most concentrated and
has the least amount of impurities.

2. Sugar – is a secondary ingredient in the curing formula which counteracts the astringent
quality of salt. It enhances the flavor of the product and aids in lowering pH of the cure.

Refined cane sugar is most suitable. The use of brown sugar is limited by the fact that it
caramelizes at a lower temperature and tends to darken the meat upon cooking. Large amount
of sugar on prolonged curing promotes vigorous microbial growth which usually causes acid
fermentation that affects palatability and color.

3. Nitrates and nitrites – potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate are color fixation agents or
substances responsible for the development of the proper color in cure meat products.

Nitrates and nitrates have a pronounced effect on flavor. Without them a cured ham would
simply be salty pork roast. They further affect flavor by acting as powerful antioxidants.

Nitrates/nitrates are very effective inhibitors in the growth of Clostridia, particularly,

Clostridium botulinum, the bacterium that causes botulism. The nitrates change the anaerobic
condition of the meat to aerobic one so that Clostridium botulinum, and other putrefactive
bacteria cannot grow.
Nitrate itself is not effective in producing the curing reaction until it is first broken down into
nitrate. This is a slow process usually dependent on bacterial action. With the need for rapid
curing to meet today’s modern processing schedules, nitrate is added directly.

Nitrates provide the ultimate source of the nitric oxide that combine with the myoglobin
pigment. The use level and residual levels are controlled as follows:

Nitrates – 500m/kg of meat

Nitrates in combinations – 200 mg/kg of meat

4. Ascorbic Acid/ Ascorbate / Erythorbate – these substances speed up curing reaction.

Ascorbates accelerate the conversion of metmyoglobin and nitrate oxide and also suppress the
reverse reaction. The residualamount of ascorbates/erythorbate also adds stability to cured
meat pigments by reducing the determination of the nitrosochrome and thus giving the color a
longer shelf life.

The permission level for these adjuncts is 7-1/2 oz. of ascorbic acid or its salt to 160 gallons of
pickle or ½ oz per 100 pounds of sausage meat or emulsion or 300 mg/kg meat.

5. Phosphates – are adjuncts that are used to increase the water holding and binding capacity
of cured products. There is some evidence that they also reduce oxidative rancidity. With
increase water holding capacity, products’ yield increase, products surfaces are drier and
firmer. Emulsion is more stable at higher temperature.

Phosphates are not usually soluble in most brine, particularly once the salt has been added so
the recommending practice is to dissolve the phosphates first. The phosphate is restricted to 1
tsp. dissolves in ¼ cup water/kg of meat.

6. Vinegar – vinegar is added for flavor but it also has some antiseptic value. It therefore, aids in
prolonging the shelf life of the finished product. The acetic should be between 4.5% and 5.0%.

7. Spices – although the flavoring materials are naturally prescribed in many food stuffs,
palatability is further enhanced by the addition of various substance which increases zest and
product variety to the diet. These substances, though lacking in nutritional value, simulate the
flow of digestive secretion thereby materially aiding digestion. The Food and Drug
Administration has defined spices aromatic vegetable substances used for the seasoning of
food. They are true to name and from them portion of any volatile oil or other flavoring
principle has been removed.

Usually spices consists of leaves flowers, buds, fruits, seeds, barks, rhizomes or another plant
parts which have been dried and are used either in the entire form or after grinding to a
powder. Examples of these spices are pepper, onion, garlic, ginger, paprika, laurel and oregano.
Little has been said about their composition. However, most spices owe their flavoring
properties to their content of volatile oils, while some flavor seems to be due to the intimate
natural blending of the flavors of a great number of different components like alcohol, esters,
phenols and their derivatives, organic acids, sulfur-containing compounds, alkaloids and resins.

8. Binders, fillers, emulsifiers – the main reason for the popular use of these intentional
addictives is one of economics. Flours, meat products and cereals when added proportionally,
do not cause any radical change in the quality of the product and in some cases, actually
improve its characteristics such as texture, appearance, sliceability and plumpness. They also
prevents shriveling and shrinkage to a certain extent.

9. Other ingredients – anisado wine, monosodium glutamate, soy sauce are added to furthut
improve the flavor of the product.