Josef Kameník

Microscopic determination of bamboo fiber in meat products

Fiber, a suitable additive to meat products with water-holding capacity, reduces curing losses and maintains juiciness of the meat. The risk is the use of excessive amounts of flour or other ingredients of vegetable origin, in which the fiber is contained. In some cases, sensory characteristics of products can be affected. Detection of fiber may be prevention of adulteration in some meat products. It is therefore very important to regularly detect the amount of fiber in meat products and check its contents. Fiber in meat products can be detected by various methods, applied are for example gravimetric, spectroscopic, histochemical, and microscopic methods. For this reason, a model meat product (Vysocina salami) was prepared in our experiment with the addition of bamboo fiber of selected concentrations of 0%, 2%, and 3%. Subsequently, a series of microscopic sections was made on different days of curing (day no. 7, 14 of the drying phase and 28, 42 of storage). Individual sections were examined and captured using a polarization microscope, the amounts of fiber in individual sections were analyzed by means of image analysis software and the values obtained were compared with each other. Also the influence of drying on the measured area of fiber in sections was monitored. The results indicate a noticeable reduction in the area of fiber until the seventh day of ripening, which is caused by the rapid loss of water in the product. In contrast, sections of products from the following days of drying contained mildly increased concentrations of fiber, which was caused by gradual drying of the products, while the area of fiber refrained form becoming smaller. Between the individual days of drying, a difference that was statistically significant was demonstrated from the 14th day of (storage or drying). Correlation was observed between the date of (storage or drying) and amount of added fiber. Among the tested mean values for the sample with the addition of fiber concentration of 2 % an insignificant difference was found. The difference between test values (day/fiber) in the sample with addition of 3% fiber was, however, statistically significant.

Salt, sodium chloride or sodium? Content and relationship with chemical, instrumental and sensory attributes in cooked meat products

The aim of this study was to determine the salt content in selected cooked meat products by the methods of determining the sodium content and the content of chlorides. The resulting data was compared with other chemical, instrumental and sensory parameters of the analysed samples. A total of 133 samples of 5 meat products were tested. The sodium content ranged from 558.0 to 1308.0mgNa/100g. Salt level determined by the two methods strongly correlated and did not differ in any meat product. Intensity of salty taste of the product was independent on its salt content. The salt (sodium) content may be reduced without a negative impact on sensory or instrumental properties of meat products.

The Effect of PSE and Non-PSE Adductor and Semimembranosus Pig Muscles on the Occurrence of Destructured Zones in Cooked Hams

The aim of this study was to analyse pig muscles used in the production of cooked hams with a view to the occurrence of PSE-type defects and their potential effect on the frequency of destructured zones in finished products. One hundred and six samples of m. adductor (AD) and m. semimembranosus (SM) pig muscles were studied. The two kinds of muscle differed from each other in terms of their pH values and colour ( : lightness, : redness, and : yellowness); these differences between the two categories were statistically significant ( ). The AD muscles were divided into meat with PSE (pale, soft, and exudative) defects and non-PSE meat by sensory examination. A total of 44.3% of AD muscles showed PSE defects. Lightness fell within a range of 50.68–55.23 in non-PSE meat (AD) and was statistically significantly lower ( ) than in PSE meat (56.25–58.78). Drip loss (AD) was higher ( ) in PSE meat (4.83–6.27%) than in non-PSE meat (3.53–5.0%). Cooked hams prepared from pig muscles showed evident destructured zones when sliced, the number and overall area of which were not affected by the occurrence of PSE defects in the raw meat used.

LACTIC ACID BACTERIA AND THEIR ROLE IN THE MEAT PROCESSING

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) play in meat processing a positive but also a negative role. The principal advantage of LAB in the production of dry fermented sausages lies in the fermentation of saccharides, i.e. the creation of lactic acid and the subsequent fall in pH. The role of LAB in fresh meat spoilage is still controversial. Several species are able to dominate the meat system in VP and MAP storage conditions and can release odor-impact molecules. On the other hand they can provide favorable antagonistic activity against other undesired microorganisms. LAB are important spoilage agents in cooked meat products. Аннотация Молочнокислые бактерии (МКБ) играют в мясной промышленности как положительную, так и отрицательную роль. Основная польза МКБ в производстве сухих ферментированных колбас заключается в ферментации сахаридов, т.е., образовании молочной кислоты и последующем падении рН. Роль МКБ в порче сырого мяса всё ещё неоднозначная. Несколько видов способны доминировать в мясной системе в условиях хранения в вакуумных упаковках и в модифицированной атмосфере и могут выделять молекулы, оказывающие влияние на запах. С другой стороны, они могут проявлять благоприятную антагонистическую активность против нежелательных микроорганизмов. МКБ являются важными возбудителями порчи в варёных мясопродуктах. DOI 10.21323/2114-441X-2016-1-25-31

Evaluation of fat grains in gothaj sausage using image analysis

Fat is an irreplacable ingredient in the production of sausages and it determines the appearance of the resulting cut to a significant extent. When shopping, consumers choose a traditional product mostly according to its appearance, based onwhat they are used to. Chemical analysis is capable to determine the total fat content in the product, but it cannot accurately describe the shape and size of fat grains which the consumer observes when looking at the product. The size of fat grains considered acceptable by consumers can be determined using sensory analysis or image analysis. In recent years, image analysis has become widely used when examining meat and meat products. Compared to the human eye, image analysis using a computer system is highly effective, since a correctly adjusted computer program is able to evaluate results with lower error rate. The most commonly monitored parameter in meat products is the aforementioned fat. The fat is located in the cut surface of the product in the form of dispersed particles which can be fairly reliably identified based on color differences in the individual parts of the product matrix. The size of the fat grains depends on the input raw material used as well as on the production technology. The present article describes the application of image analysis when evaluating fat grains in the appearance of cut of the Gothaj sausage whose sensory requirements are set by Czech legislation, namely by Decree No. 326/2001 Coll., as amended. The paper evaluates the size of fat mosaic grains in Gothaj sausages from different manufacturers. Fat grains were divided into ten size classes according to various size limits; specifically, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 2.5, 5.0, 8.0 and over 8 mm. The upper limit of up to 8 mm in diameter was chosen based on the limit for the size of individual fat grains set by the legislation. This upper limit was not exceeded by any of the products. On the other side the mosaic had the hightest representation of 0.25 mm fat grains.

MONITORING OF COLOR AND PH IN MUSCLES OF PORK LEG (M. ADDUCTOR AND M. SEMIMEMBRANOSUS)

In order to identify PSE pork meat, pH and color testing was performed directly in a cutting plant (72 hours post mortem) in this research. Specifically pork leg muscles musculi adductor (AD) and semimembranosus (SM) from five selected suppliers (A, B, C, D, E) were examined. Twenty samples of meat for each muscle were examined from each supplier. The measured pH values ranged from 5.43 to 5.63, and the L* values from 46.13 to 57.18. No statistically significant differences in pH values and color were detected among the various suppliers with the exception of the a* and b* parameters for two suppliers, namely A and B (p <0.01). On the contrary, a statistically significant difference (p <0.5) was recorded between individual muscles (AD/SM) across all the suppliers (A, B, C, D, E) with the exception of a* parameter from suppliers B, C, D, E, and pH values for the E supplier. Our results revealed that individual muscles differ in values of pH and color. In comparison with literature, pH and lightness L* values in musculus adductor point to PSE (pale, soft and exudative) meat, while the values of musculus semimebranosus to RFN (red, firm and non-exudative). Use of PSE meat in production of meat products can cause several problems. In particular, it causes light color, low water-holding capacity, poor fat emulsifying ability, lower yield, granular or crumbly texture and poor consistency of the finished product. Therefore classification of the meat directly cutting plant may be possible solution for this problem. The finished product produces from muscles of musculi semimembranosus can obtain better quality than the finished product from musculi adductor.