Irradiation of pre-packaged sliced cooked meat products with low and normal sodium content
article
Irradiation experiments were carried out with pre-packaged sliced cooked meat products with different initial counts of Enterobacteriaceae and mesophilic aerobic bacteria. In low-sodium meat products Enterobacteriaceae could effectively be inactivated in refrigerated or frozen products by irradiation with a dose of 1 or 2 kGy respectively, provided the number of these bacteria was below 103 to 104 per g. The low-sodium meat products involved endured above treatment without being seriously affected as to sensory qualities. Shelf-life of salted cooked meat products could be prolonged by irradiating the frozen product. Irradiation with a dose of 2 kGy enabled uncooled storage of the product for a restricted period (5-7 days). Best results were obtained for meat products with a salt content in the brine phase of >4.0% (w/w) and having a good hygienic quality, i.e. an initial bacterial count below 104/g. Packaging in a gas atmosphere (CO2) slightly enhanced protection as compared to vacuum packaging. Off-flavours as a result of irradiation of salted cooked meat products varied from slight to strong and depended on the type of product.
Topics
cooked meat productsgas atmosphereIrradiationlow-sodium meatshelf-lifevacuum packagingsodiumaerobic bacteriumanimal cellEnterobacteriaceaeirradiationnonhumanpackagingAnimalCarbon DioxideColony Count, MicrobialEnterobacteriaceaeFood IrradiationFood MicrobiologyHydrogen-Ion ConcentrationMeatMeat ProductsSodium ChlorideTemperatureWaterAnimaliaBacteria (microorganisms)
TNO Identifier
231111
ISSN
01681605
Source
International Journal of Food Microbiology, 10(1), pp. 23-32.
Pages
23-32
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