Studies on the Salting Step of Tunisian Kaddid Meat: Experimental Kinetics, Modeling and Quality

Comparative study of ultrasound application versus mechanical agitation on pork belly brining for bacon production

Pork belly brining is a time-consuming step of bacon production that needs to be studied and enhanced through suitable technologies. In this sense, this study aimed at evaluating the impact of ultrasound (US), mechanical agitation (AG), and static brine (SB) on the kinetics of water loss (WL), solids gain (SG), and salt content (SC) of pork belly during brining under different temperatures. Mathematical models were used to estimate mass transfer rates, equilibrium parameters, and thermodynamic properties. Peleg model was chosen as the most suitable model to predict the kinetics experimental data (Radj2 ≥ 0.979 and RMSE ≤ 0.014). The increase in the brine temperature increased WL, SG, and SC for all treatments. Nonlinear effects of temperature were observed for WL, SG, and SC, following an Arrhenius-type behavior. The assistance of ultrasound significantly enhanced the velocity of WL, SG, and SC by 32-56%, while AG improved by 18-39% both compared to SB. Brining was considered an endothermic and non-spontaneous process through the thermodynamic assessment. The increase in temperature and the AG and US processes accelerated the formation of the activated complex. The application of ultrasound was considered the most suitable technology to reduce the brining time. However, significant improvements can be obtained by mechanical agitation. Therefore, both methods can be used to reduce the time processing of pork belly aiming at accelerating the bacon production process.

Effects of Drying Methods on Chemical Composition, Lipid Oxidation, and Fatty Acid Profile of a Traditional Dried Meat Kaddid

This work aimed to study the effect of three drying methods, namely sun-drying (SD) (T = 32 °C), continuous convective drying (CCD) (T = 35 ± 2 °C) and interval starting accessibility Drying (ISAD) (T = 35 ± 2 °C) with an active time of 30 s (ton) and a tempering time of 60 s (toff), on selected quality characteristics of a traditional dry-salted meat product known as "kaddid". The analyses of chemical composition, lipid oxidation and fatty acid profile of kaddid were carried out before and after 45 days of storage (t = 0 vs. t = 45) at ambient temperature. Chemical composition and lipid oxidation (TBARS) of kaddid were affected by the drying methods. The CCD samples showed the lowest level of lipid oxidation. Protein content was better preserved via the ISAD method (7.27 g/kg DM). The fatty acid profile revealed the lowest mono-unsaturated fatty acid content in the ISAD samples; however, no significant difference was observed between the drying processes for the total poly-unsaturated fatty acid content. The storage period led to a significant decrease in the SFA values of CCD and ISAD samples against an increase in the MUFA ones. ISAD appeared to be a promising drying mode with a lower effective drying time and a good product quality preservation.

Physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of El-Guedid from meat of different animal species

El-Guedid is an Algerian traditional meat-based product that is prepared from red meats. It belongs to the wide diversity of salted/dried meat products. This study described the physicochemical and microbiological properties of different products from four animal origins and during all the conservation. Results indicated that these products were mainly characterized by a low moisture with an average decrease of water content between 15.6% and 16.3% for all the samples, and a decrease in water activity ranging from 0.66 to 0.68, while the salt content ranged from 8.8 to 19.3%. A decrease in pH values oscillated from (6.3-6.4) to reach (5.2-5.5) at T0 and T365 consecutively, in all the samples. Microbial analyses revealed the absence of pathogenic bacteria such as Listeria and Salmonella but the sporadic contamination by Staphylococcus aureus up to one month of ripening. Lactic acid bacteria and coagulase negative staphylococci were the dominant populations in El-Guedid with Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Lactobacillus sakei, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus as the main species identified. All these populations decreased along the process and reached low levels (2 log CFU/g) at the end of storage (365 days). The drastic drying of El-Guedid led to safe traditional meat product that could promote its production.

El Gueddid, a traditional Algerian dried salted meat: Physicochemical, microbiological characteristics and proteolysis intensity during its manufacturing process and ripening

El Gueddid is a traditional salted and dried meat with high popularity in Algeria. It is used as an ingredient in various dishes. In this study, different samples of El Gueddid were analyzed at different processing times to follow up their microbiological and physicochemical properties. Changes in the protein profile were also demonstrated by electrophoretic study of myofibrillar proteins. Microbiological determinations included the total viable count, coliforms, Staphylococci, lactic acid bacteria, yeasts, and molds, whereas physicochemical properties were characterized by pH, moisture, salt content and water activity. The results showed that microbial profiles were elevated for all the studied micro-organisms. Staphylococci and lactic acid bacteria were the most abundant micro-organisms in the product. Total coliforms were found in low numbers in fresh meat, being eliminated at the post salting stage of process. The physicochemical characteristics showed that the moisture content decreased in the product during the drying period. The pH also decreased during the drying period, then remained almost unchanged during the rest of the ripening period. Moreover, El Gueddid showed low water activity and high salt content. One of the most important changes in the profile of myofibrillar proteins was a reduction in the myosin heavy chain content.

Effects of licury cake in young Nellore bull diets: salted sun-dried meat is preferred rather than fresh meat by consumers despite similar physicochemical characteristics

BACKGROUND

Salted Sun-dried meat is a traditional process of meat salting that can improve quality and overall acceptance. The present study compared the physicochemical and sensory attributes of fresh and salted sun-dried meat from Nellore Zebu (Bos taurus indicus) bulls (n = 32) and evaluated diets containing different levels (0%, 7%, 14% and 21%) of licury cake in diets provided to Nellore finished in a feedlot.

RESULTS

Salted sun-dried meat decreased moisture (P < 0.0001) and ether extract (P = 0.0002) contents but increased ash (P < 0.0001) and protein (P < 0.0001) contents compared to fresh meat. The addition of licury resulted in linear increases in moisture (P = 0.02) and quadratic effects on Warner-Bratzler shear force (P < 0.03) in fresh meat. Cooking weight loss (P < 0.0001) and Warner-Bratzler shear force (P = 0.03) were reduced by the manufacturing process of sun-dried meat. Sun-dried meat presented greater color index L^* (P = 0.0032), a^* (P < 0.0001) and c^* (P < 0.0001) values but a lower index color b^* (P < 0.0001) value compared to fresh meat. Salted sun-dried meat presented greater sensory characteristic scores compared to fresh meat (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Licury cake can be used in 21% of dry matter in diets to finish animals in feedlot without lessening the quality fresh meat or sundried meat. Salted sun-dried meat presented a greater overall acceptance. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Does the spicing step affect the quality and drying behaviour of traditional kaddid, a Tunisian cured meat?

BACKGROUND

The effects of spicing on the physicochemical and microbial characteristics and drying behaviour of kaddid, a Tunisian dry-cured meat, were studied. In addition, the quality characteristics of traditional sun-dried kaddid and processed convective-dried kaddid were compared.

RESULTS

Spicing had no significant effect on the pH and water activity of brined beef meat at 21% (w/w), but it reduced the product water and salt contents. Effects of spicing on brined meat microbial flora were the appearance of sulfito-reducer bacteria, an increase in total mesophilic aerobic flora (+15%) and staphylococci (+26%) and a decrease in faecal coliforms (-23%). The salted beef meat sorption behaviour was affected by spicing. Besides, spicing increased the kaddid drying rate, allowing a significant decrease in the drying process time (-33%). Traditional and processed kaddid presented comparable microbial characteristics. Both drying methods led to a reduction in the number of total mesophilic aerobic flora in unspiced and spiced kaddid and of faecal coliforms in spiced kaddid.

CONCLUSION

The study showed that spicing, as a step in kaddid meat processing to enhance the final product flavour, caused changes in the salted meat physicochemical and microbial characteristics and accelerated the drying rate. Convective drying at 30 °C is recommended to produce kaddid having the same characteristics as the traditional product.