Title: SHELF LIFE EXTENSION OF MEAT BY COMBINED TREATMENTS
Abstract:The aim was to study the effect of different combined treatments to prolong the shelf-life of meat. Chicken meat was dipped in Na3PO4 solution (3.8 - 15 %) for 1 min, packed and stored at 4 °C. The op...The aim was to study the effect of different combined treatments to prolong the shelf-life of meat. Chicken meat was dipped in Na3PO4 solution (3.8 - 15 %) for 1 min, packed and stored at 4 °C. The optimal Na3PO4 concentration (7.6 %) reduced the viable cell count by 2 log cycles, the shelf-life was minimum 3-4 days compared to the non-decontaminated samples. Higher concentration did not result in higher effectivity. Minced chicken meat and beef were treated with HHP (0-600 MPa) and nisin (670 IU g-1). In case of the vacuum packed minced chicken meat the total viable cell count decreased by 3 log cycles as an effect of HHP at 300 MPa and by 5 log cycles in combination with nisin. After inoculation with L. monocytogenes the cell count of beef meat was reduced only by pressure higher than 200 MPa. The vacuum packaging and irradiation with 2 kGy was the most effective combination. This combination resulted in a shelf-life extension to over 21 days. In the irradiated samples pathogenes could not detected. The other combination, CO2 and the gas mixture (80 % N2 – 20 % CO2) produced shorter storage time than vacuum packaging and irradiation.Read More