Predrag Ikonić

Sensory, physical and chemical characteristics of cooked ham manufactured from rapidly chilled and earlier deboned M. semimembranosus

Effects of rapid chilling of carcasses (at -31°C in the first 3h of chilling, and then at 2-4°C) and earlier deboning (8h post-mortem), compared to rapid (till 24h post-mortem) and conventional chilling (at 2-4°C, till 24h post-mortem), on quality characteristics of pork M. semimebranosus and cooked ham were investigated. Quality measurements included pH value, colour (CIEL a b values) and total aerobic count of M. semimebranosus, as well as sensory (colour, juiciness, texture, and flavour), physical (pH value, colour - CIEL a b values and texture - Warner-Bratzler shear and penetration forces) and chemical (protein, total fat, and moisture content) characteristics of cooked ham. The cooked ham was manufactured from pieces of M. semimebranosus with ultimate lightness (CIEL value) lower than 50. Rapid chilling and earlier deboning significantly increased quantity of M. semimebranosus desirable for cooked ham manufacturing. Earlier start of pork fabrication did not affect important quality characteristics of cooked ham.

Mechanisms of Crust Development at the Surface of Beef Meat Subjected to Hot Air: An Experimental Study

When cooking meat, the development of a crust is an important element for consumer. It is the place of Maillard reactions and development of flavor. It is also where carcinogenic compounds can be formed. To our knowledge, no study has been devoted to the formation of the crust during cooking pieces of meat, so these mechanisms were studied under laboratory conditions. Temperatures were measured close to the surface using a special isolated device that corrects for movements due to meat thermal shrinkage. These temperature measurements were paired with microscopic measurements of the crust thickness and with the measurement of profiles of water content by magnetic resonance imaging to interpret crust formation and structure. Three areas were characterized in the crust, and the thickness of the colored area was proved to vary linearly with time. Images obtained by X-ray microtomography showed a great heterogeneity of the porosity in the crust of the heated samples.

Cadmium in meat and edible offal of free-range reared Swallow-belly Mangulica pigs from Vojvodina (northern Serbia)

The aim of this study was to determine the cadmium concentration in four muscles and 10 edible offal items of 15 free-range reared Swallow-belly Mangulica pigs from Vojvodina, by flame atomic absorption spectrometry after mineralisation by dry ashing. All individual concentrations in muscles and heart, tongue, spinal cord, back fat and leaf fat were below the limit of detection (LOD = 0.050 mg/kg). In lungs, spleen and brain, cadmium concentrations ranked from below LOD, 0.055 and 0.058 to 0.057, 0.065 and 0.074 mg/kg, respectively. The concentration of cadmium in liver and kidney ranged from 0.089 to 0.116 mg/kg and from 0.204 to 0.440 mg/kg, respectively. Cadmium concentrations in liver and kidney of free-range reared Swallow-belly Mangulica pigs slaughtered at about 20 months of age were lower than in liver and kidney of commercial pigs from Vojvodina, slaughtered at about 6 months of age.

Effect of Starter Culture Addition and Processing Method on Proteolysis and Texture Profile of Traditional Dry-Fermented Sausage Petrovská klobása

Proteolysis and texture profile of Petrovská klobása, made with addition of starter culture, were investigated during the ripening in different conditions (traditional versus industrial). Due to intensive degradation of myofibrillar proteins, significant increases of non-protein nitrogen and free amino acids nitrogen contents were registered in all samples. Similar proteolytic changes were found in both starter and non-starter sausages, but were more pronounced in samples ripened in industrial room. In relation to ripening conditions hardness and chewiness differed significantly, while starter culture had significant effect only on hardness of sausages processed in industrial room.

Relation between crust development and heterocyclic aromatic amine formation when air-roasting a meat cylinder

The meat crust that develops during cooking is desired by consumers for its organoleptic properties, but it is also where heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAs) are formed. Here we measured HAs formation during the development of a colored crust on the surface of a beef meat piece. HAs formation was lower in the crust than previously measured in meat slices subjected to the same air jet conditions. This difference is explained by a lower average temperature in the colored crust than in the meat slices. Temperature effects can also explain why colored crust failed to reproduce the plateauing and decrease in HAs content observed in meat slices. We observed a decrease in creatine content from the center of the meat piece to the crust area. In terms of the implications for practice, specific heating conditions can be found to maintain a roast beef meat aspect while dramatically reducing HAs content.

Proximate composition, cholesterol concentration and lipid oxidation of meat from chickens fed dietary spice addition (Allium sativum, Piper nigrum, Capsicum annuum)

The effects of supplementing spices, including garlic, black pepper and hot red pepper, in broiler chicken diet on proximate composition, cholesterol content and lipid oxidation of breast and thigh with drumstick meat, skin and liver were investigated. Meat proximate composition included measurements of moisture, protein, fat and ash content. Cholesterol content of tissue homogenates was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography–DAD analyses, while lipid oxidation of white and red meat, as well as liver, was expressed as a concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (mg malondialdehyde (MDA)/kg tissue). For biological research, eight treatments with a total of 1200 broiler chickens of hybrid line Hubbard were formed, with four replicates. In the control treatment, the chickens were fed with commercial mixtures of standard composition and quality based on corn flour and soybean meal. Experimental treatments were fed with the same commercial mixtures, except with addition of spices. At the end of the experiment and on the basis of gained results, it can be concluded that the chickens in experimental treatments with hot red pepper achieved statistically significantly (P < 0.05) higher final body masses (2460.6 and 2442.4 g) than did the chickens in the control and other treatments. Black pepper showed a positive and significant (P < 0.05) influence on improving the protein content in breast meat (24 g/100 g), hot red pepper lowered the cholesterol concentrations in meat (24.7 g/100 g in red meat), skin (87.4 g/100 g) and liver (263.1 g/100 g), while black pepper significantly (P < 0.05) reduced lipid oxidation in breast (0.05 mg MDA/kg tissue) and thigh with drumstick (0.12 mg MDA/kg tissue). On the basis of obtained findings, it can be concluded that the dietary spice herbs had a positive influence on a proximate composition of chicken meat, cholesterol concentrations and lipid oxidation process.

Influence of collagen and natural casings on the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in traditional dry fermented sausage (Petrovská klobása) from Serbia

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to determine the content of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons—PAHs (acenaphthylene, anthracene, fluorene, phenanthrene, pyrene, benz[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, chrysene, indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, dibenz[a,h]anthracene, and benzo[ghi]perylene)—from Environmental Protection Agency list (United States Environmental Protection Agency) in traditional dry fermented sausage (Petrovská klobása) stuffed in collagen (C) and natural casings (N). Benzo[a]pyrene as well as PAH4 (benz[a]anthracene, benzo[b]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, and chrysene) were not detected in all examined samples. Results obtained in this study indicated that at the end of drying, as well as at the end of storage period, total content of 13 US-EPA PAH was significantly (P < 0.05) lower in sausages with collagen casing (56.2 and 73.6 μg/kg, respectively) than in sausages with natural casing (137.1 and 206.2 μg/kg, respectively).

Investigation of grass carp by-products from a fish farm in Vojvodina

The quantity of by-products obtained during grass carp primary processing and chemical characteristics of internal organs were investigated. The total average weight of byproducts was 783.69 g (36.99%) in relation to live body weight which was cca 2118.5 g. The by-product contributing the largest quantity to total live body weight was the head with 458.22 g (21.63% of live body weight), followed by complete internal organs and tail and fins, with weights of 198.03 g or 9.35% and 57.93 g or 2.73%, respectively. The chemical composition of internal organs from the grass carp was mostly water (65.55%), following by crude fats and crude proteins (17.47% and 13.35%, respectively). The low collagen content (13.43% of total crude protein) indicates the high nutritional quality of the protein content from internal organs. Nitrogenous complexes from the internal organs were predominantly proteins. Digestible nitrogen was approximately equal to total nitrogen (89.38%), indicating that all proteins of the internal organs had high biological value. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that carp internal organs could be important sources of proteins and fats, and thus, could be used in Serbia as a raw material for feed and technical fat production.

The effect of essential oil from sage (Salvia officinalis L.) herbal dust (food industry by-product) on the microbiological stability of fresh pork sausages

The effect of essential oil obtained from sage (Salvia officinalis L.) herbal dust (a food industry by-product) (SEO), on the pH value, microbiological stability and sensory properties of fresh pork sausages prepared without chemical additives was evaluated during 8 days of aerobic storage at 3±1°C. The addition of SEO significantly (p<0.05) reduced the microbial growth in fresh pork sausages. Moreover, SEO added at a level of 0.05 µL/g had no negative effect on sensory properties of this meat product. Hence, the results of this study showed significant antimicrobial activity of SEO obtained from sage filter tea processing byproducts and the potential for utilising SEO in fresh pork sausages in order to enhance their stability and safety.

Quality Standardization of Traditional Dry Fermented Sausages: Case of Petrovská klobása

The European market of dry-cured meat products is characterized by a wide range of traditional fermented sausages, which come from different parts of the continent, primarily from the Mediterranean. Production of these products has lasted for centuries and when the first sausage was produced remains uncertain, because its production dates from the period before written history. Traditional dry-fermented sausages, originating from different countries and regions, are characterized by specific sensory and physicochemical properties affected by the environmental conditions, raw materials, production method, activity and composition of present microflora, biochemical and physicochemical changes occurring during the smoking, fermentation, drying, and ripening process, and specificities of the local population (customs, habits, traditions, religion, etc.). Diversity in appearance, color, taste, smell, and texture of these products can contribute to the preservation of gastronomic heritage and culture, as well as economic development of rural areas by increasing consumption and production volume (Santos et al. 1998; Casaburi et al. 2007; Aquilanti et al. 2007; Talon et al. 2007; Latorre-Moratalla et al. 2008; Roseiro et al. 2008; Settanni and Moschetti 2014).