Chemical, microbial, color, oxidative and sensory properties of clean-label pastırma produced with raspberry water extracts as a novel ingredient

Properties of encapsulated raspberry powder and its efficacy for improving the pH, colour quality and shelf life of modified atmosphere packaged chicken nuggets

1. Recent research has shown that encapsulated raspberry powder (RP) is a natural colourant for foodstuffs. However, no research has been conducted on its use in chicken nuggets. In addition, the effect of RP on products with and without phosphate addition is unknown. This study assessed the effects of RP (control, 0.5%, 1.0%) and phosphate (0.0%, 0.3%) on the pH and colour quality properties of nuggets.2. In the production of RP, red raspberry (Rubus ideaus L.) juices were encapsulated using maltodextrin in a spray-dryer. Antioxidant activity, total anthocyanin, total phenolics, colour, moisture and pH analyses of the RP were performed.3. Nuggets were packaged in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP; 40%CO2 + 60%N2) and were stored at 2.0 ± 0.5°C for 120 d. The pH and external and internal surface colour (L*, a*, b*, C* and h) values were measured on d 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 and 120 of storage.4. The addition of phosphate increased the pH in the samples, while these decreased with the addition of RP (p < 0.05). During storage, the highest pH were seen in the phosphate samples and the lowest in the nuggets with 1.0% RP addition (p < 0.05).5. With the addition of phosphate, the external surface a* value of nuggets increased (p < 0.05). Depending on the level of RP added to the nuggets, the external surface L* value decreased and a* and b* values increased (p < 0.05). After d 30 of storage, the a* value increased in the samples with RP addition and this increase was higher in the with phosphate nuggets (p < 0.05).6. The internal surface a* value increased with the addition of RP during nugget production (p < 0.05). The increase in a* value was greater in samples with added phosphate (p < 0.05). During storage, the highest a* values were seen in nuggets treated with phosphate + 0.1% RP (p < 0.05). The addition of RP to chicken nugget emulsion improved redness, colour stability and shelf life.

Evaluation of the Quality Changes in Three Commercial Pastourma Samples during Refrigerated Storage Using Physicochemical, Microbiological, and Image Analyses Combined with Chemometrics

Despite the inherent stability of dried and cured products, such as pastourma, appropriate refrigeration remains essential for preserving their optimal characteristics. This study explored quality and safety characteristics in lamb, beef, and buffalo pastourma during 16-day refrigeration storage after package opening. The comprehensive approach employed Attenuated Total Reflection-Fourier-Transform Infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, colorimetry, and image analysis, alongside physicochemical and microbiological analyses, to shed light on these alterations. The findings reveal a reduction in textural uniformity and color vibrancy (fading reds and yellows) across all samples during storage, with lamb pastourma exhibiting the most pronounced effects. Notably, image analysis emerged as a powerful tool, enabling the accurate classification of samples based on storage duration. Additionally, significant variations were observed in moisture content, hue angle, firmness, and TBARS levels, highlighting their influence on pastourma quality. The study documented a gradual decrease in lactic acid bacteria and aerobic plate count populations over time. ATR-FTIR spectra's interpretation revealed the presence of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and water. Protein secondary structures, demonstrably influenced by the meat type used, exhibited significant changes during storage, potentially impacting the functional and textural properties of pastourma. Overall, the findings contribute to a deeper understanding of pastourma spoilage during storage, paving the way for the development of improved preservation and storage strategies.

A Comprehensive Review of Cured Meat Products in the Irish Market: Opportunities for Reformulation and Processing

Cured meat products constitute one of the meat categories commonly consumed in Ireland and has been part of the Irish cuisine and diet for many years. Ham, gammon, and bacon are some of the products that involve curing as part of the traditional processing methods. Common among these products are high levels of salt and the addition of nitrites. These products undergo processing treatments to create variety, preserve shelf-life, and develop their unique quality and safety characteristics. However, consumers are becoming more conscious of the level of processing involved in these products, and the effects of some components and ingredients might be perceived as unhealthy. Meat product developers have been exploring ways to reduce the amount of ingredients such as salt, saturated fat, and chemical preservatives (e.g., nitrites), which are linked to health concerns. This is a challenging task as these ingredients play an important techno-functional role in the products' quality, safety, and identity. While innovative processing techniques are being introduced and progress has been made in reformulation and packaging technologies, much is still unknown, especially regarding the applicability of many of the proposed interventions to a wide range of meat products and their sustainability at the industrial scale.

Zinc protoporphyrin IX generation by Leuconostoc strains isolated from bulged pasteurized vacuum sliced hams

The colour of meat typically fades as it decays. However, it has been observed that certain vacuum-packaged spoiled hams can maintain a pink colour even when the packaging is bulged. A large amount of Zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) was found in these hams, compared to fresh red hams or spoiled and grey hams. Combined with high-throughput sequencing and cultural isolation, the potential cultures of Leuconostoc mesenteroides S-13 (LM), Leuconostoc citreum OCLC11 (LC), and Leuconostoc mesenteroides subsp. IMAU:80679 (LS) were selected based on their ability to produce ZnPP. Subsequently, these cultures were introduced into a fermented sausage model to assess their effect on colour conversion. The analysis of absorption and fluorescent spectra showed that Nitrite sausages contained nitrosyl heme pigment, while bacteria-inoculated sausages were predominantly composed of ZnPP. In addition, the a* value of the LS sausage was close to the Nitrite group at the end of fermentation, significantly higher than control, indicating the effect of bacterial metabolism on the redness. Meanwhile, the Ferrochelatase (FECH) activity of LM, LC and LS groups were 140 ± 13, 113 ± 16 and 201 ± 20 U/g sausage, respectively, providing a potential method on compensating for nitrite/nitrate substitution based on the presence of ZnPP in meat products.

Raspberry Extract as a Strategy to Improve the Oxidative Stability of Pork Burgers Enriched with Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Hydrogelled emulsions (HEs) of linseed oil and pea protein (PP) were produced with four levels (0, 5, 7.5, and 10%) of raspberry extract obtained by a green extraction technique (microwave hydrodiffusion and gravity-MHG). HEs were applied in burgers to replace 50% of pork backfat content. The products' technological, nutritional, oxidative, microbiological, and sensory properties were evaluated. Besides reducing the fat level by approximately 43%, the reformulation reduced the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio to healthy levels, decreased the diameter reduction by 30%, and increased the cooking yield by 11%. Including 7.5 and 10% of raspberry extract in the HEs decreased the oxidative defects caused by the enrichment of the burgers with omega-3 fatty acids. In addition, the raspberry extract did not cause alterations in the mesophilic aerobic count and the burgers' sensory profile.

Utilization of spray-dried raspberry powder as a natural additive to improve oxidative stability, microbial quality and overcome the perception of discoloration in vacuum-packed ground beef during chilled storage

The present study was conducted to determine the effects of spray-dried raspberry powder (SDRP) (CONTROL, 1.0%, 2.0%, and 3.0%) as a natural antioxidant, antimicrobial, and colorant on physicochemical properties, lipid oxidation, discoloration, and microbial quality of vacuum-packed (VP) ground beef during chilled storage at 2 ± 0.5 °C for 18 days. By incorporating SDRP into VP ground beef pH, lipid oxidation (TBARS), lightness, and hue angle (h°) values decreased (P < .01), while redness (a*) and chroma (C*) values improved (P < .01). SDRP treatments had higher redness, more stable color, and lower pH and TBARS values during storage in a dose-dependent manner (P < .05), demonstrating that SDRP had a preventive effect on lipid oxidation and discoloration. The combination of vacuum packaging with SDRP generally resulted in lower bacterial growth during storage. These results demonstrated that 2% or 3% SDRP treatment has promising potential as an effective strategy to achieve oxidative and microbial stability and overcome discoloration in VP fresh meats.