Product Development - Quality, Nutrition and Convenience (module III)

Status quo: 30 October, 2008
Co-ordinated by Jacint Arnau, Institute for Food and Agricultural Research and Technology (IRTA), Spain

Objectives

To develop innovative technologies for improves pork products to match consumer demands in relation to quality, nutrition, and convenience.

Main results obtained so far

  • Sensory characteristics and consumer acceptability of small calibre fermentes sausages with 50% substitution of NaCl by mixtures of KCl and potassium lactate
  • Effect of RH on oil drip and fat cell structure in fat samples containing KCl or K-lactate.
  • Stability of phytosterols, flavonoids and prebiotic fibre at the end of the process in standard calibre and small calibre fermented sausages.
  • Suitability of fermented sausages as vehicle for probiotic strains.
  • Non-haem iron enhancing effect "in vitro" of protein fractions from three different pork muscles (L. dorsi, Myocardium and T. brachii). Description of the meat factor effect in four meat fractions obtained from three different pork muscles.
  • Determination of the composition of the surface of fermented sausages during the process by NIR
  • Mathematical model to predict NaCl and moisture profiles in a meat product model.
  • Physical characteristics of lard mixed with MAG and DAG.
  • Technologies to prepare cured carpaccio:
          - Frozen cured meat treated with high pressure.
          - Dry-curing and slight drying
          - Injection with a brine containing starter cultures and  fermentation.
  • Effect of high pressure on colour and texture of meat with Na Cl and KCl at different water contents.


Improving scientific knowledge

  • Methodology to determine phytosterols, flavonoids and prebiotic fibre in meat products.
  • Mathematical model to predict water and NaCl profiles in fermented sausages.

Possible impact for the pork chains

  • Improvement of the drying technology both in traditional and reduced sodium fermented sausages.
  • Sodium and fat reduction in pork products.
  • Improvement of the nutritional quality of pork products
  • Optimisation of the HPP treatments to reduce the negative effects on quality in dry-cured meat products.

Work planned for future

  • Development of a holistic theory regarding water binding in muscle food gel
  • To compensate the negative effects on quality and safety due to sodium and fat reduction and the addition of substitutes
  • Effect of functional food ingredients on cooked products and breakfast sausages
  • To perform a single meal study on the effects of purified pork meat proteins on non-haem iron absorption in women
  • To evaluate the relationship between omic markers and composition and sensory traits of dry-cured ham
  • To use surface composition as inputs to the control system of a pilot plant drying chamber for fermented sausages