PROCESS OF MAKING CURED MEAT PRODUCTS BASED ON NON-MINCED COOKED MEAT AND COLD CUTS MADE WITH SUCH PROCESS

Abstract

A process of making ham is disclosed herein, which includes injecting at least a whole piece of raw meat with an essentially nitrite-free mixture comprising water and salt, at least a polyphenol, and optionally an acidulant, followed by further processing steps, namely tenderization, churning, molding and cooking, to thereby obtain an essentially nitrite-free ham, whose color and microbiological stability are comparable to those of a corresponding ham obtained with a conventional process using nitrites as preservatives.

Claims

1. A process of making a cured meat product based on non-minced cooked meat comprising the steps of: providing at least a whole piece of raw meat; injecting an essentially nitrite-free mixture comprising water and salt and at least a polyphenol, into at least a whole piece of raw meat, thereby obtaining a whole piece of raw meat containing said mixture and at least a polyphenol, massaging said at least a whole piece of raw meat containing said mixture and at least a polyphenol, to distribute said mixture and said at least a polyphenol therein in a substantially homogeneous manner, molding said at least a piece of raw meat obtained from the step of massaging to obtain a single compact piece of raw meat, cooking said single compact piece of raw meat thereby obtaining said cured meat product.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said step of injecting includes also injecting a food-grade acidifier into said at least a whole piece of raw meat.

3. A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein said at least a polyphenol is in the form of a polyphenol-containing plant extract and said acidifier comprises at least an organic acid.

4. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight of said at least a polyphenol injected through said mixture based on the weight of said at least a whole piece of raw meat is such that the content of said at least a polyphenol will range from 0.4% to 2% by weight based on the total weight of said at least a whole piece of raw meat and the injected mixture.

5. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein the weight of salt injected through said mixture based on the weight of said at least a whole piece of raw meat is such that the content of salt will range from 1.5% to 1.9% by weight based on the total weight of said at least a whole piece of raw meat and the injected mixture.

6. A process as claimed in claim 2, wherein the weight of said acidifier injected through said mixture based on the weight of said at least a whole piece of raw meat is such that the content of acidifier will range from 0.4% to 2.0% by weight based on the total weight of the said at least a whole piece of raw meat and the injected mixture.

7. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least a whole piece of raw meat containing said mixture, at least a polyphenol and, optionally, an acidifier, obtained from the step of injecting undergoes tenderization before massaging.

8. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said massaging is carried out by churning for a time ranging from 10 to 20 hours, with application of vacuum of not less than 15 mbar and with the churn rotating at a speed ranging from 2 revolutions/minute to 10 revolutions/minute.

9. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said whole piece of raw meat is cooked at a temperature ranging from 40 C. to 70 C. for a time ranging from 12 to 16 hours.

10. A process as claimed in claim 9, wherein said cooking is carried out with an increasing temperature gradient, with a product core temperature ranging from 40 C. to less than 50 C. for a time of 4-8 hours, followed by cooking at a temperature ranging from 50 C. to less than 60 C. for a time of 1-2 hours and finally at a temperature ranging from 60 C. to 70 C. for a time of 2-4 hours.

11. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least a whole piece of raw meat is obtained from hind leg/s of swine and said cured meat product is ham.

12. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said whole piece of raw meat is an anatomical cut or a piece or slice of raw meat obtained by cutting without mincing appropriate anatomical parts of an animal that is suitable or accepted for human consumption.

13. A cured meat product based on non-minced cooked meat that can be obtained from the process as claimed in claim 1, essentially free of nitrites.

14. A cured meat product as claimed in claim 13, wherein the content of said at least a polyphenol therein ranges from 0.4% to 2% by weight based on the weight of the cured meat product.

15. A cured meat product as claimed in claim 14, comprising at least an organic acid, from 0.4% to 2.0% by weight based on the total weight of said at least a whole piece of raw meat and the injected mixture.

16. A cured meat product as claimed in claim 14 wherein the cured meat is ham.

17. A cured meat product as claimed in claim 15, wherein said at least an organic acid is selected from acetic acid or a vinegar extract.

Description

[0080] A few examples of ham production according to the present invention will be now described, said examples being provided by way of illustration and without limitation, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

[0081] FIG. 1 shows a bar chart showing the concentrations of strains of Cl. perfringens in samples of ham, obtained from minced raw meat mixes added with plant nitrites (A), with polyphenols and without nitrites according to the invention (B), with chemical nitrites (C) and without polyphenols and nitrites added (D) before and after cooking and after storage for 24 hours and 7 days at 25 C.

EXAMPLE 1

[0082] A mixture comprising the ingredients as shown in the following Table 1, with their percentages by weight, was prepared.

TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 Ingredient Weight % Water 65.0 Salt 13.0 Natural flavors 8.00 Maltodextrin DE 15-17 2.00 Dextrose monohydrate 1.00 40% polyphenol extract without 11.0 acidulant Total 100

[0083] The mixture was prepared by adding the above mentioned ingredients, excepting the polyphenol, to water using a mixer with Venturi, air mixing for 30-40 minutes in a special preparation container (at a temperature ranging from 6 C. to 7 C.), adding the polyphenol-containing extract using the aforementioned mixer, air mixing for 20-30 minutes in a special preparation container (at a temperature ranging from 7 C. to 8 C.), transferring it to an equalization tank and stirring for a minimum of 12 hours, for de-aeration with progressive temperature reduction to 3.0 C./2.0 C.

[0084] 35% by weight of this mixture was injected into previously weighed pieces (anatomical cuts) of pork legs, based on the weight of each piece, using an injector machine at a temperature ranging from 3 C. to 6 C., i.e. with the mixture under refrigerated temperature conditions (from 0 C. to 4 C.).

[0085] Then, the meat pieces from the injector were tenderized in a tenderizer having toothed rollers by applying a pressure of about 1.6 bar, on the surface of such pieces.

[0086] Subsequently, the pieces of raw meat underwent churning under vacuum in a churn at a temperature ranging from 4 C. to 10 C., for 17 hours, with the application of a vacuum of not less than 15 mbar (residual vacuum).

[0087] The rotation speed of the churn was 6 rpm for the first 2 hours' treatment and 5 rpm for the remaining 15 hours.

[0088] Then, the pieces of raw meat obtained from churning underwent, by reassembled and weighted groups, de-aeration and vacuum molding in special molds to thereby obtain a plurality of compact pieces of raw meat each having a predetermined shape imparted thereto by its respective mold.

[0089] The compact pieces of raw meat were then cooked in an oven with low-pressure steam blown therein, with an increasing temperature gradient, e.g. as follows: 40 C. for 3 h; 48 C. for 3 h; 55 C. for 1 h, 60 C. for 1 h; 64 C. for 3 h and 30 min; 68 C. for 1 h and 30 min. Then, the pieces of ham so obtained were cooled in a chiller to a temperature not exceeding 4 C., removed from the molds and vacuum-packaged in multilayer bags consisting of three aluminum layers and one sealing layer of polythene.

[0090] Finally, the hams so packaged underwent pasteurization at 105 C. for 19 minutes. The hams so obtained were examined to assess their color and microbiological stability characteristics.

[0091] The color characteristics were determined by a panel test by comparison with standard products to ascertain that the hams of the invention have a rosy color similar to that of the hams obtained with conventional processes that use nitrites as preservatives.

[0092] Microbiological stability tests were carried out as challenge tests by comparison with samples of ham obtained by conventional processes with and without the addition of nitrites.

[0093] Namely, samples were prepared from a minced raw pork meat mix and were each added with a mixture containing the ingredients as shown in the above Table 1 in the proportions as set forth above. By comparison, samples were prepared from a minced raw pork meat mix and were added, in the proportions as set forth above, with a conventional mixture free of added polyphenols and containing plant nitrites (trade name Accel Kerry), samples were prepared from a minced raw pork meat mix and were added in the proportions as set forth above, with a conventional mixture free of added polyphenols and containing nitrites of chemical origin and samples were prepared from a minced raw pork meat mix and were added in the proportions as set forth above, with a similar mixture with no addition of additives (polyphenols and nitrites).

[0094] An inoculum of two bacterial pathogenic strains of Cl. perfringens was prepared, namely the strains Cl. perfringens ATCC 3624 and Cl. perfringens IZS 522. The final concentration of the inoculum was 2.210.sup.5 spores/ml. The inoculum was obtained by separately incubating the strains in a liquid culture medium Cl. perfringens Sporulation Broth at 37 C. for 24 hours under anaerobic conditions. After the growth a count was taken to check bacterial concentration. The media were kept at 4 C. for three weeks to promote sporulation, and then underwent pasteurization at 63 C. for 30 minutes to suppress the vegetative forms. Finally, a new count was taken, to check spore concentration in the inoculum.

[0095] The samples of the above mixes with their respective added mixtures were contaminated by directly injecting 1% v/v of the aforementioned inoculum into each of them, to obtain a spore concentration of the above strains of 10.sup.2-310.sup.3 cfu/g in all samples.

[0096] It shall be noted that in this test, the use of minced raw meat mixes (instead of whole pieces of meat) of an anatomical cut suitable for the production of ham affords a homogeneous distribution of the pathogenic strains inoculated into the samples, which ensures reliability and repeatability of microbiological test results. The samples of the aforementioned mixes were individually filled in casings and baked in an oven with an increasing temperature gradient, as follows: [0097] an oven temperature of 65-68 C. for about 3 hours; [0098] an oven temperature increased to 72 C. for 2 hours then to 78 C. for 2 more hours; [0099] an oven temperature increased to 85 C. to reach a core temperature of the samples of about 69-70 C.;

[0100] to thereby obtain respective samples of ham after cooling.

[0101] Spore concentration of said strains, that ranged from 10.sup.2 to 310.sup.3 cfu/g before cooking, decreased in all samples during cooking and cooling.

[0102] The samples of ham so obtained were packaged as described above and were kept for 7 days at 25 C. The concentration of the aforementioned pathogens was detected after 24 h and 7 days' storage.

[0103] As shown in the charts of FIG. 1, the concentration of the pathogenic strains in the samples (B) of ham of the invention is lower than that of the pathogenic strains in the comparative samples of ham already after 24 h storage at 25 C. After 7 days' storage the concentration of the aforementioned pathogenic strains in the samples of ham being compared decreased to a hardly detectable lower level, with the exception of the samples (D) of ham with no additives in which the concentration of these pathogens is considerable and makes the product non-compliant as food. The low concentration level of the aforementioned pathogenic strains is maintained in the samples of ham obtained according to the invention, even with longer storage times in a closed package.

[0104] Therefore, the ham obtained according to the invention maintains a reduced bacterial count throughout its storage time in a closed package, like in the case of hams obtained according to conventional processes that include the addition of nitrites.

EXAMPLE 2

[0105] A mixture comprising the ingredients as shown in the following Table 2, with their percentages by weight, was prepared.

TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 Ingredient Weight % Water 75.60 Salt 6.43 Acerola extract 0.13 Natural flavors 6.07 Maltodextrin DE 15-17 2.70 Dextrose monohydrate 1.51 40% polyphenol extract and 26% 7.56 acidulant Total 100

[0106] The mixture was prepared according to the procedure as described in the Example 1, and 35% by weight thereof was injected into previously weighed pieces (anatomical cuts) of pork legs, based on the weight of each piece, using an injector machine at a temperature ranging from 3 C. to 6 C., i.e. with the mixture under refrigerated temperature conditions (from 0 C. to 4 C.).

[0107] Then, the pieces of meat from the injector were processed with the processing steps as described in the Example 1, thereby obtained packaged and pasteurized hams, which were examined to assess their color and microbiological stability characteristics.

[0108] The color characteristics were determined by a panel test, by comparison with standard products to ascertain that the hams of the invention have a rosy color similar to that of the hams obtained with conventional processes that use nitrites as preservatives.

[0109] Microbiological stability tests were carried out as challenge tests as described in the Example 1 and ascertained the presence of a reduced bacterial count throughout its storage time in a closed package.