Establishing Temperature and TIME Factors for the Post-pasteurization of Gourmet Meat Products

Abstract

Conditions of post-pasteurization of whole-muscle gourmet meat products have been developed. They make it possible to extend shelf life of the product without change of its organoleptic characteristics.Effect of short-term thermal treatment of the ready-to-eat gourmet meat product on microbiological, physicochemical, and organoleptic parameters was investigated.Based on modeling the processing temperature and time, rational post-pasteurization conditions have been developed that maximize the product shelf life while maintaining its high quality.Dependences of influence of post-pasteurization on microbiological characteristics were obtained and it was proved that the developed conditions effectively suppress the surface microbiota.Studies on determining rational conditions of post-pasteurization were performed in a temperature range of 75‒90 °C at a duration of 1‒4 minutes.Post-pasteurization at 90 °C for 1‒2 min. and at 75‒85 °C for 3 min. reduces the degree of bacterial contamination, however, the product shelf life does not increase. Treatment at 90 °C for 4 min. significantly reduces the amount of microorganisms, extends shelf life but a change of the product appearance was observed.It was found that the temperature of 90 °C and duration of 3 min. are the rational conditions of post-pasteurization. Study of bacteriological effects achieved by the use of post-pasteurization under these conditions was presented.Influence of post-pasteurization conditions on the key qualitative characteristics of the ready-to-eat product has been investigated. It was established that the above method of thermal treatment does not cause syneresis of free moisture which is important for vacuum packaging of meat products.Considering the fact that pH influences microbiota growth, hydrogen ion concentration studies were performed immediately after post-pasteurization and during storage.It was proved that the use of the developed post-pasteurization conditions makes it possible to extend shelf life of whole-muscle gourmet meat products in vacuum packaging by 10 day