Quality evaluation of meat products in relation to packaging and irradiation | |
| Author | Ingles, Maria Elena Aranjuez |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no. AE-97-18 |
| Subject(s) | Meat--Quality Meat industry and trade |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering, School of Environment, Resources and Development |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Abstract | The different factors affecting the quality of fresh and processed meat were studied. A survey was conducted to identify the different processing practices in the meat industry that could influence on meat characteristics. The survey revealed the impact of proper handling and packaging of meat products in the safekeeping against microbial contamination and consequent extension of shelf life. Fresh pork sirloin meat and smoked sausages were vacuum-packed in laminated films of nylon, polyethylene and ionomer resin (NPI) pouches and modified atmospherepackaged in low-density polyethylene and laminated films of polyvinylidene-coated nylon and polyethylene (PVNP) films with 20% C02 and 80% N2 gas and stored at 5°C for eight weeks. Control samples for the fresh meat were packaged in plastic trays with flexible 'cling' film while control for sausages were in low-density polyethylene films. Some fresh samples were irradiated with 1 kGy while smoked sausages were irradiated to 2 and 4 kGy doses. Microbial analyses and product property evaluation were conducted every week from the start of storage. Physical and mechanical properties of packaging materials and gas concentration were also determined at the start and at the end of the storage life of each sample. Packaging distinctly improve the shelf life of fresh and meat products. MAP exhibited better performance than vacuum in terms of microbial inhibition and moisture loss while vacuum was best in maintaining the color and preserving the texture of meat. The application of irradiation considerably increased the storage life, reduced microbial population to as much as more than half of the initial population. Vacuum alone extended the shelf life of fresh meat to 40 days while MAP to 44 days, making MAP a feasible alternative to vacuum packaging. One kGy and vacuum packaging or MAP made meat still acceptable up to the 48th day and packaging system with PNI and PVNP, respectively were able to protect sausages against deterioration for 8 weeks. While two kGy with vacuum and MAP extended the storage life of sausages for more than the eight weeks of storage, 4 kGy dose can double the shelf life of the unirradiated processed meat. Although, there were odor formation after the application of low radiation dose, sensory tests showed no effects on the acceptability of the irradiated products. In conclusion, packaging in vacuum or modified atmosphere with 20% C02, balance N2, in combination with 1 kGy for fresh and 2 and 4 kGy for process meat is recommended to improve the microbial safety and sensory quality of fresh and processed meat with 4 kGy with MA as the better combination for smoked sausages. |
| Year | 1997 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Environment, Resources, and Development (SERD) |
| Department | Department of Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Former title: Department of Food Agriculture, and BioResources (DFAB)) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Agricultural and Food Engineering (AE) |
| Chairperson(s) | Athapol Noomhorm; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Jindal, Vinod K. ;Vincent, Jean Claude; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | Danish International Development Assistance Government of Denmark; |
| Degree | Thesis (M.Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 1997 |