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Meat grinders are composed of a combination of individual functional elements (e.g., screw conveyor, perforated plates, knives). This setup, and in particular the chosen cutting set, influences the characteristics of ground meat and hamburgers produced. In this study, we took a closer look at the effect of cutting set variations and process parameters on structural, functional, and physicochemical properties of beef hamburgers produced. It was found that the specific mechanical energy input during grinding increased when cutting levels, i.e., a set of one hole plate and one knife, were increased, causing more cell disintegration (r = 0.387, p = 0.02). Surprisingly though, an influence on the functional and quality parameters of the hamburgers could not be found for most parameters tested. The findings indicate that variations in the cutting set affect the process parameters and the stress applied to the meat, but residence times in this zone are too small to cause noticeable effects on the analytical and qualitative properties of hamburgers. As such, there are options for energy and cost optimization of industrial grinding processes without sacrificing quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taste as an eating quality factor of beef can be influenced by the selection of the raw material and aging method. The metabolic changes of different breeds during aging were analyzed in wet-aged and dry-aged beef up to 28 days of aging using samples from the M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum of the Simmental and Black-and-White breeds by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Breed affected the metabolome of beef samples before and during the aging of beef. The concentration of 24 of the 30 metabolites differed significantly (P < 0.05) in unaged samples of both breeds. In addition, aging time and aging type of beef samples showed partially different effects on the metabolome caused by the breed. Aging time significantly affected (P < 0.05) 30 metabolites in beef of both breeds. Aspartate, betaine, creatinine, glycine, and niacinamide correlated with aging time only in samples of Black-and-White breed. Five metabolites (carnitine, creatine, inosine 5' monophosphate, lactic acid and O-acetyl-l-carnitine) varied significantly (P < 0.05) between dry-aged and wet-aged beef of both breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The determination of the amount of non-intact cells (ANIC) in ground beef products is usually performed using a time-consuming and subjective histometric approach neglecting structural properties, which is why more objective and faster methods including evaluation of quality parameters are needed. To determine, whether the addition of meat batter increases the histologically determined ANIC ground beef samples containing increasing shares of meat batter (non-intact cells) were investigated histologically and results were compared to other methodological approaches, namely lactate dehydrogenase activity (LDH), soluble protein content, metmyoglobin content, drip loss, firmness, and cooking loss. Histological measurements showed that ANIC increased linearly with the addition of meat batter to ground beef. The quality parameters drip loss (r = − 0.834, p < 0.01) and firmness (r = − 0.499, p < 0.01), and the structural parameter metmyoglobin content (r = 0.924, p < 0.01) revealed significant correlations with the amount of added meat batter, and detected differences between ground beef samples when the difference in the amount of added batter-like-substance was ≥ 25%. Therefore, those methods might be useful to estimate and extrapolate ANIC, and assess product quality of ground beef samples in a faster and simpler way. The cooking loss was not affected by meat batter addition, whereas LDH activity revealed non-repeatable results. Taken together, histometric methods are useful to measure ANIC, nevertheless, it is limited in terms of characterization of morphological and structural changes in the meat. However, other parameters were correlated and could, in addition, be used for assessing the quality of ground meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Anna Heras (1), Alexander Schoch (1), Monika Gibis (1), Albert Fischer (1) Keywords: Malondialdehyde; Lipid peroxidation; High performance liquid chromatography; Thiobarbituric acid test Abstract: A reproducible and sensitive HPLC assay with fluorometric detection for measuring malondialdehyde as an index of lipid peroxidation in dry sausage (salami) has been developed. Following the homogenisation of dry sausage in water, a solution of 5% ice-cooled trichloroacetic acid led to the precipitation of the proteins. The addition of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) (0.02 M) to the filtered mixture and its corresponding incubation (35 min, 100 degC) completed the method. High correlation coefficients (r&gt 0.977), with regard to the distillative TBA test, were obtained. Ratios between the HPLC and the distillation method of 2.23 were found. Also, the effect of the antioxidant BHT and an examination of the distillative classic TBA test have been done. Results indicate that this HPLC method, on account of its simplicity, sensitivity and specificity, may be preferred over the classic TBA test for estimating the rancidity of dry sausage. Author Affiliation: (1) Institute of Food Technology, Department of Meat Technology, University of Hohenheim, 70593, Stuttgart, Germany Article History: Received Date: 05/03/2003 Online Date: 13/06/2003

Hybrid meat products represent a promising, more sustainable alternative to all-meat formulations. However, differences among plant- and animal-based proteins may alter traditional handling and final product properties. In this study, pork meat was partially replaced with texturized pumpkin seed proteins at 12.5, 25, 37.5, and 50% to obtain dry-cured hybrid meat sausages and their ripening (acidification, drying) during 21 days and final product properties (texture, sensory) were characterized and compared to a control (all-meat formulation). The drying behavior and distribution of moisture and free water of hybrids with extrudate contents of 12.5 and 25% were comparable to the sample made with meat and no significant (p > 0.05) differences in proximate composition were found. In contrast, higher meat replacement levels resulted in distinct changes of compositional and textural attributes i.e. chewiness was decreasing by up to 70%. Results suggested 25% of extrudates as an important threshold in manufacture of hybrid dry-cured sausages due to alterations in their ability to bind or release water. Results may be used to understand the influence of alternative texturized proteins in hybrid formulations and help product developers to understand related process and product relevant changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of salt concentration on meat iridescence in cured cooked pork products. In addition, the influence of nitrite and pigmentary color on iridescence and its visual macroscopic perception was ascertained. Sample cubes from the pigs M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum were salted with either NaCl (20 g/kg, 40 g/kg) or nitrite curing salt (6 g/kg, 20 g/kg, and 40 g/kg) and subsequently cooked. Control samples were not salted. The effects of NaCl and curing salt on iridescence, instrumental color and microstructure were evaluated. Salt treatment significantly (p < 0.05) increased water-holding capacity, mean myofibers diameters and iridescence and reduced light scattering (L* value). An iridescence limit was reached with the 20 g/kg salt treatments. No differences between sodium chloride and nitrite curing salt were observed for both visual evaluation and colorimetry of the interference colors. Iridescence increases were attributed to a swelling of the myofilament lattice and thus reduction of intermyofibrillar spaces as well as an optical clearing of the myofibrils by dissolution of myofibrillar proteins that both reduce light scattering and allow more reflectance and interference to occur. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the influence of low (5 °C), intermediate (15 °C) and high (25 °C) storage temperatures on the profile of volatile compounds of North European cured loins fermented with Staphylococcus carnosus strains was investigated. In this context, proteolytic activity, bacterial growth, key volatile compounds and sensory attributes were studied. In conclusion, storage temperature significantly affected the volatile marker compounds. A multiple regression indicated significant effects of seven volatile compounds (acetophenone, benzaldehyde, butanone, 3-methylbutanal, 1-octen-3-ol, nonanal and pentanone) on the overall odor (R2 = 95.9%) and overall flavor (R2 = 81.1%). The sum of the marker volatiles aldehydes, ketones and alcohol increased with rising temperatures and the highest amounts of the odor active 3-methylbutanal up to 155 and 166 ng/g meat were detected in high temperature-stored loins. Moreover, the addition of S. carnosus strain LTH 3838 showed maximum effect at 5 °C-storage temperature in comparison to the control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of chelators added to the gel of the alginate casing of dry fermented sausages on the white efflorescence formation was investigated. For this purpose, the chelators were added in different concentrations (0.8–2.3%) to the alginate gel before the co-extrusion of the sausage. The applied chelators were the polyphosphate P69, citrate, citric acid, and the mixture of di- and polyphosphates TARI S78. The hypothesis of the study was that the application of the chelators to the alginate gel could inhibit the white efflorescence formation by complexing the efflorescence, causing the divalent cations magnesium and calcium. The application of only the polyphosphate P69 and citric acid reduced the white efflorescence formation (reduced by 17.82–22.75% by P69 and 18.38–82.30% by citric acid). Moreover, two different inhibition effects were identified: the polyphosphate P69 reduced the diffusion of the main efflorescence-causing substances to rise to the surface of the sausages (magnesium, calcium, lactate and creatine) by diffusion from the surface inside the sausages and complexing the divalent cations. Citric acid reduced the white efflorescence formation by decreasing the pH value on the surface (4.73 compared to 4.90); furthermore, a critical pH value of 4.80 was identified due to the increase in the pH on the surface (protein degradation) at which the efflorescence formation occurs. The reduction of the efflorescences could be due to solubility effects at pH values below 4.80. The finding indicates that efflorescence formation could be reduced by chelating the efflorescence-causing divalent cations or by pH reduction on the surface of the sausage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of efflorescences on the surface of dry-fermented sausages has been an issue for meat product manufacturer for several decades. This study focused on inhibiting the efflorescence formation in thin salami (caliber 20 mm) by varying drying conditions. Three different drying rates (fast, normal, and slow) were used to achieve a weight loss of 42% and the amount of efflorescences as well as the chemical composition (moisture, lactate, creatine, sodium, potassium, calcium, and magnesium contents) along the sausage diameter were measured during 8 weeks of storage under modified atmosphere packaging (20% CO2 and 80% N2). Results revealed that the different drying rates significantly changed the distribution of moisture, lactate, and creatine along the sausage diameter. Furthermore, magnesium, lactate, and creatine were identified as the main substances causing efflorescence formation. The magnesium content on the surface directly after drying showed no significant differences between the drying rates. During storage, the magnesium content on the surface of the sausages produced by fast, normal, and slow drying doubled independent on drying rate. All sausages produced by fast, normal, and slow drying showed a large amount of efflorescences after 8 weeks of storage. It can, therefore, be concluded that efflorescence formation in thin salamis may not be prevented by varying the drying conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oxidative stability of raw fermented sausages containing differently sized oil-in-water emulsions loaded with rosemary extract was studied. For this purpose, rosemary oleoresin was dissolved in Miglyol 812 N (an oxidatively stable triglyceride mixture of caprylic, capric and lauric acid) to a concentration of 100 g/kg, and homogenized using a high shear blender and a high shear blender + high-pressure homogenizer to generate oil-in-water emulsions (10% (w/w) Miglyol 812 N, 2% (w/w) Tween 80, pH 5) loaded with mean droplet size d of 0.2 and 4.6 µm, respectively. Unloaded (without added rosemary extract) Miglyol oil-in-water emulsions served as control. The manufactured emulsions were physically stable for 70 days, apart from minor aggregation of the emulsion without incorporated rosemary extract. The addition of 0.48% (w/w) oil-in-water emulsion loaded with rosemary extract into raw fermented sausages retarded lipid oxidation significantly in comparison to sausages loaded with emulsion without added rosemary extract. Moreover, oxidative stability was better at 7 than at 20 °C. Surprisingly, at both temperatures, emulsions with larger droplet sizes were more potent in preventing oxidation than smaller ones. These findings might be caused by the physical location of the phenolic compounds in the oil-water interface of the base emulsions, which makes the antioxidants in rosemary less accessible for preventing lipid oxidation of pork back fat in raw fermented sausages. In addition, the antioxidant effectiveness of the oil-in-water emulsions loaded with rosemary extracts appears to be affected by sausage constituents (e.g., proteins). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]