LOW HUMIDITY PRODUCTS

SOME PORTUGUESE EXAMPLES

Healthy animals for food production: an European perspective

III IP Course on “Quality Assurance of Meat Products”

Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Lisboa, Portugal

March 26th, 2001

António J. F. Raimundo & José M. Pereira de Moura

26 April 2001 2

Contents:

1. Introductive Notions

2. Chouriço and Similar Products

3. Presunto

4. Products in the Market

5. Videos -Salpicão and Chouriço Processing

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1. Introductive Notions

26 April 2001 4

Why do Low HumidityProducts Exist?

- Preventing Food Spoilage

- Preventing SAFETY Hazards

- Increased Durability of Food Supplies

- Reducing Waste ...

- Dietetic awareness ...

- Sensorial diversification/PLEASURE

26 April 2001 5

Safety Risks/Composition

Due to Composition

Risks Risks

aw (<0,95) aw (>0,95)

Nitrate/Nitrite No curing

pH (<4,5) pH value

Intensive smoking No smoking

Preservatives No preservatives

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Safety Risks/Processing

Risks RisksSize reduction+Mixing Heating or sterilizing after

hermetic closure+imediately before consuming

Insufficient heating Asseptic packaging

No packaging, non hermetic, dirty

Continuous “cold chain” until immediately before consumption

Contamination during preparation, stuffing or packaging

Processing in closed circuits; without contamination sources and temperature fluctuation

Storing too long at to high a temperature

Existance of microbiological competitors against pathogenic monoculture

Storing without refrigeration after processing

Storing-temperature fluctuation

Development of pathogen monoculture without competitors

Due to Processing

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Stabilization Methods

Cold

Heat

Thermal

Drying

Freeze-drying

Dehydration

Electrons

UV

Roentgen

Gamma

Irradiation

PHYSICAL

Salting

Curing

Acidifying

Smoking

Preservatives

CHEMICAL

METHODS

26 April 2001 8

Effects of Stabilization Methods(+ positive - negative / no effect)

METHODSlowing

enzimatic reactions

Anti-oxidation

Bacterio and

fungistatic

Bacteri and

fungicideEFFECT

Refrigeration + + + /

Slowspeed of reactions

Freezing + + + / Water Immobilization

Freeze-drying

+ + / + / Dehydration by sublimation

Irradiation + - - / + Sterilization by ionizing rays

Drying + + / + / Dehydration by evaporation

Appertization + / / + Sterilization by heating

Smoking + + + + aw

Fenol

Salting + + + / + aw

Salting

Girard (1976); Girard et al. (1986)

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Smoking intensity

COLD WARM HOT

22-28ºC 40-60ºC 60-65ºC*80ºC

(Tilgner, 1958; Möhler, 1978; Klettner, 1979) cit. Sinell (1981)

Process ºC Duration Products

Cold Smoking

18(12-24)

Days to weeks

Raw, raw cured, scalded long

duration, cooked

Humid* Smoking

Up to 30 2-3 days Raw fast maturation*

Warm Smoking

Up to 50 1-3 h Scalded, big calibre

HotSmoking

60-100 20-60 min Scalded and cooked

Fischer, cit. Prändl, Fischer, Schmidhofer, Sinell (1994)

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High Intermediate LowHumidity*

HIGH

(HMF)

INTERMEDIATE

(IMF)

LOW

(LMF)*

aw 1,0-0,9 0,9-0,6

0,85-0,701

> 0,6

HMF HighMoisture

Foods

IMF IntermediateMoisture

Foods

LMF*stable

LowMoisture

Foods

Gauthier et al. (1986); Leistner (1990)1Mossel e Garcia (1984)

26 April 2001 11

Storing Conditions aw + pH

CATEGORY CRITERIASTORING

TEMPERATURE

Stable

aw 0,95 and pH 5,2

____________aw 0,91

orpH 5,0

No refrigeration needed

Alterableaw 0,95

orpH 5,2

10ºC

Easily alterable

aw > 0,95 and pH > 5,2 5ºC

Leistner & Rödel (1976)

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2. Chouriço2. Chouriçoand and

Similar ProductsSimilar Products

26 April 2001 13

Chouriço Chouriço Appearance

26 April 2001 14

ChouriçoChouriço Definition

Horse-shoe shaped, but also rod shaped

A product cured by smoke based exclusively on pig lean and fat, fresh or treated by cold, in the form of small fragments, to which seasonings and additives are added

Meat and fat:

- Lean or lean/fat mix (belly); cardiac muscle in cheaper types

- Hard fat, without rind, in fragments not bigger than 1,5 cm

26 April 2001 15

The portuguese chouriço (madeout of pig meat), and its relatedproducts (salpicão, chourição,linguiça ...), are intensively hot-smoked products

This drastic thermal processing(hot smoking), by fire with non-resinous wood-types, is (beyondits composition and seasoning)what confers the product itsoriginality

OriginalityChouriço Chouriço and Similar Productsand Similar Products

26 April 2001 16

Chouriço Chouriço and Similar Productsand Similar Products The products which are similar to

Chouriço are:

Salpicão

Chourição

Linguiça ... and others

They vary in size of meat pieces, calibre, composition and shape

Products may get different names indifferent parts of the country (regardlessof size of meat pieces, calibre,composition and shape), and differentrecipes

26 April 2001 17

Ingredients kg %

Pork lean 7,934 79,34Pork backfat 1,160 11,60Refined salt 0,220 2,20Red pepper* 0,300 3,00Sweet paprika* 0,040 0,40Garlic* 0,150 1,50Water 1,147 11,47Nitrifying agent* 0,014 0,14Polyphosphate

mix0,035 0,35

total 10,000 100

Chouriço 1 Chouriço 1 Formula

26 April 2001 18

Ingredients kg %

Belly +/or trimmings* 5,000 87,458

(70% lean+

30% fat)

Refined salt 0,110 1,924

Red pepper* 0,200 3,498

Sweet paprika 0,020 0,349

Garlic* 0,012 0,210

Water 0,350 6,122

Nitrifying agent 0,007 0,122

Polyphosphate mix 0,018 0,314

total 5,717 100

Chouriço 2 Chouriço 2 Formula

26 April 2001 19

Tripe* IngredientsMeat

processing Packaging

a) Natural (pig)

b) Synthetic edible

(collagenic)

1. Water Selection

2. Salt (NaCl)

3. Red pepper pasteCutting/ Mincing

4. *Nitrifying agents

5. * Polyphosphates

... Other ...Mixing +

Seasoning

a) 2-5 days

Ripening/ maturation

4-10ºCb) overnight

Stuffing*

Traditional Type Industrial type

Thermal processing*

1) Dehydration30-40ºC

1) Dehydration40-50ºC Stabilization

2) Reddening40-50ºC

2) Reddening50-60ºC

3) Coagulation*50-55ºC

3) Coagulation*60-70ºC

Packaging/labelling a) Bulk

b) Vacuum

c) MAPd) Canned*

Expedition

Chouriço Chouriço Processing Diagram

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Treatment e.g.

26 April 2001 21

Chouriço Chouriço smokingsmoking

Fire with hard woods________________________________________

Artisanal

Kept in mild fire, generating moderate smoke and temperature

Smoked in kitchen chimneys or rooms and in traditional smoking chambers*

Processing temperature varies according to:

Fire activity/intensity

Distance from fire

Artisanal process - long periods of mild smoking intensity, rarely rising to 70ºC (6 or more days)

26 April 2001 22

Chouriço Chouriço smokingsmokingIndustrial I

Smoked in:_________________________________

1st - smoking and cooking hovens/chambers

- 3-4,5 h/low RH%

- initially 50ºC

- then 63-65ºC/30 min*

2nd - finishing in traditional (portuguese) smoking chambers

- mild

- 6-12 h or more*

26 April 2001 23

Chouriço Chouriço smokingsmoking

Industrial II

Alternatively:

6 h smoking

cooling to 35ºC

cooling and drying in controlled atmosphere*

(98% RH 18ºC ~~> 60% HR 14ºC)

* Less losses (< 20%) and condensations

* Better process control

26 April 2001 24

Chouriço Chouriço smokingsmoking

Industrial III

With fire:

36-48 h

At 5 h smoking = 80ºC air temperature

Drying (40-50ºC) till fire extinguished

*** Temperature inside product will always rise up to 60ºC, and is kept for, at least 30 min

26 April 2001 25

ChouriçoChouriçoProcessing Details

Diameter 36-40 mm

Cut meat pieces max. 2,5 cm (side) and max. 5 cm artisanal*(= “caseiro” = “home-made”)

Mincer sieve = 25 mm*

After stuffing the tripe is pricked*

Losses max. 30%

26 April 2001 26

ChouriçoChouriçoScientific denominations

Trees with hard woods used in smoking of Chouriço and other products:

- holm oak (Quercus ilex)

- cork oak (Quercus suber)

- olive (Olea europea)

SWEET/Red pepper ... Red pimiento (Capsicum annum L.)

26 April 2001 27

ChouriçoChouriço Durability

________________________________________

Cooled and at max. 70% RH - 1 month________________________________________

In plastic bags - Bulk packaged, for immediate use, if refrigerated (4-6ºC), will last for months, but will: lose weight and sensorial appeal, oxidate and may be attacked by fungi

________________________________________

Vacuum packed - 3 months; 5 months at 6ºC________________________________________

Canned and in vegetable oil Canned and in vegetable oil --6 months* to 2 years6 months* to 2 years (with a more intense (with a more intense drying)drying)

* 10% Salt in aquous fraction of the product

If adequately processed they may be kept without the use of refrigeration

26 April 2001 28

LinguiçaLinguiça Appearance

26 April 2001 29

LinguiçaLinguiça Formula

Ingredients kg %80% lean+

20% fat 5,000 85,836Refined salt 0,110 1,888Red pepper* 0,200 3,433Sweet paprika 0,020 0,343Garlic* 0,012 0,206Water 0,400 6,867Nitrifying agent 0,005 0,086Polyphosphate mix 0,018 0,309Pepper (ground black or white pepper)

0,015 0,258

total 5,825 100

26 April 2001 30

Linguiça Linguiça Processing Diagram

See and follow Chouriço´s diagram

Attention weaker heat treatment due to thinner diameter (calibre)

Polyphosphates, if added, are added at stuffing

Calibre max. 20-24 mm

Cut meat fragments max. 20 mm

Mincer sieve = 20 mm

26 April 2001 31

Salpicão Salpicão Appearance

26 April 2001 32

Salpicão Salpicão Formula

Martins (1989)

Ingredients Qty.

Loin meat 100 kg

Salt 4,5 kg

Garlic* 0,2 kg

Red wine* 7,5 l

- May include nitrifying agent,polyphosphates and antioxidant, andother natural flavouring agents (i.e. garlicpaste, sweet powdered paprika)

26 April 2001 33

Salpicão Salpicão Processing Diagram

See and follow Chouriço´s diagram

Attention, longer smoking/drying treatment due to larger diameter (calibre)

Meat pieces:

- Mechanical cutting - 5 cm

- Hand cutting - 7-8 cm

Calibre: 55-60 mm

26 April 2001 34

“1 Portion Products”

Paios ... Paios do Lombo

- Loins

- Meat portions above transverse processes of vertebrae, from neck ...

26 April 2001 35

3. Presunto3. Presunto

- Dried Ham -

26 April 2001 36

Presunto Presunto Appearance

26 April 2001 37

Additives + seasonings

MeatProcessing Packaging

1. Refined salt (Na2

+ Cl2-) (5)Selection

2. NitrifyingAgent*(1)

3. Nitrate* Preparation

4. Sugar*(2)Pre-salting

5. Coarse salt (Na2

+ Cl2-)Salting

Post-salting

LOSSES max 30-40%

Drying/Dehydration

a) Cleaning Finishing a) Whole leg

b) Vegetable oil - Bulk

c) Lard Deboning*(compression)

- Wrapped

d) Red pepper b) Portions*

e) Smoking Portioning - Vacuum

- MAP

Presunto Presunto Processing Diagram

26 April 2001 38

4. Products in

the MARKET

26 April 2001 39

Survey CHOURIÇOPatarata e Martins (1991)

Stable

aw 0,95 and pH 5,2

____________aw 0,91

orpH 5,0

No refrigeration needed

Sample

AverageSdev

26 April 2001 40

Survey SALPICÃO Patarata e Martins (1991)

Sample

Average

Sdev

Stable

aw 0,95 and pH 5,2

____________aw 0,91

orpH 5,0

No refrigeration needed

26 April 2001 41

Survey PRESUNTOPatarata e Martins (1991)

Sample

AverageSdev

Stable

aw 0,95 and pH 5,2

____________aw 0,91

orpH 5,0

No refrigeration needed

26 April 2001 42

Survey Patarata e Martins (1991)

CONCLUSIONS Products were very heterogenous in

presentation and physico-chemical characteristics

aw was main factor responsible for product stability

97,3% of the products, which were stable at ambient temperature, had aw values lower than 0,91, which, alone, assured stability

______________________________________ Chouriço samples: 75% were stable at

ambient temperature, 70% due to aw value alone, 5% by the action of aw and pH values

Chouriço samples: 25% needed refrigeration

26 April 2001 43

Survey Esteves et al. (2000)

26 April 2001 44

Chouriço

Survey 1993Consumers’ Association (DECO)

1 Brand+type 2 Labelling 3 Humidity 4 Protein

5 kcal/100g 6 Fat 7 % Fat 8 Fat evaluation

9 Meat Quality 10 Nitrates/Nitrites 11 Salt

12 Hygiene 13 Palitibility 14 Global appreciation

Vgood;Good;Medium;Mediocre;Bad

26 April 2001 45

ChouriçoSurvey 1998

Consumers’ Association (DECO)

Vgood; + Good; Medium; - Mediocre; Bad

1 Brand+type 2 Labelling 3 Composition 4 kcal/100g

5 Salt 6 Nitrates 7 Phosphates 8 Hygiene 9 Total

10 Palatibility 11 Global appreciation

+ -

26 April 2001 46

5. SEE THE VIDEOS

26 April 2001 47

“SALPICÃOde

VINHAIS”

The Movie

by a Group of Students Meat Technology Option _____________________________ Agro-food Technology Course Polytechnic School of Agrarian Sciences Santarém

26 April 2001 48

Chouriço

- Processing in Images -

Meat Technology Option

Agro-food Technology Course

Polytechnic School of Agrarian Sciences Santarém