Search Results (33)

Consumer demand for organic and nitrite-free meat products has stimulated the search for sustainable alternatives to synthetic curing agents. Conventional nitrites are effective in stabilizing color, inhibiting lipid oxidation, and suppressing pathogens, but their use raises health concerns due to potential nitrosamine formation. This study investigated the application of Portulaca oleracea powder as a multifunctional ingredient to fully replace sodium nitrite in organic cooked frankfurters. Two formulations were produced: control frankfurters with sodium nitrite and experimental frankfurters with purslane powder 1.2%. Physicochemical, oxidative, proteomic, and antioxidant parameters were monitored during refrigerated storage. Purslane incorporation improved the lipid profile by increasing α-linolenic acid and lowering the ω-6/ω-3 ratio, while peroxide, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and acid values remained significantly lower than in nitrite-containing controls after 10 days. Protein oxidation was also reduced, and SDS-PAGE profiles confirmed that the major structural muscle proteins remained stable, indicating that purslane addition did not disrupt the core proteome. Antioxidant assays showed strong ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) activity 13.7 mg GAE/g and enhanced 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-scavenging capacity 22.3%, highlighting purslane’s contribution to oxidative stability. Although redness (a*) was lower than in nitrite controls, overall color stability (L*, b*) remained high. Taken together, purslane enhanced oxidative stability and quality attributes of nitrite-free organic frankfurters; microbiological validation is ongoing and will be reported separately. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential of clove extract powder (CEP) as a natural curing accelerator in pork sausages produced with pre-converted Chinese cabbage powder (PCCP) as a nitrite source. Sausages were prepared using a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design with three levels of CEP (0, 500, and 1000 ppm), two sodium ascorbate levels (0 and 500 ppm), and two nitrite sources (synthetic sodium nitrite and PCCP). Increasing the level of CEP decreased pH, CIE L*, CIE a*, and residual nitrite, whereas CIE b*, cured meat pigment, total pigment, and curing efficiency were increased (p < 0.05). The inclusion of sodium ascorbate decreased (p < 0.05) residual nitrite levels while enhancing CIE b*, cured meat pigment, and curing efficiency. Compared with sodium nitrite, PCCP treatments retained higher residual nitrite (p < 0.05), although no significant differences (p ≥ 0.05) were observed for instrumental color, cured meat pigment, total pigment, or curing efficiency. These results demonstrate that CEP, when combined with PCCP, effectively promotes the development of cured meat color and enhances pigment stability, suggesting that this combination can serve as a promising alternative to synthetic nitrite and ascorbate in clean-label pork sausages. Full article

The clean-label movement has markedly increased consumer demand for meat products free from synthetic additives, such as sodium nitrite, ascorbate, and phosphate. This review summarizes strategies to replace these additives with natural alternatives while preserving the functional and quality properties of traditionally cured meats. Nitrite replacement commonly employs nitrate-rich vegetables, alongside nitrate-reducing starter cultures or pre-converted nitrite powders for adequate nitric oxide production and meat pigment stabilization. Ascorbate substitutes include vitamin C-rich materials and polyphenol-based antioxidants from green tea and rosemary, supporting nitrite reduction and contributing to meat pigment and oxidative stability. To compensate for phosphate functions, natural substitutes such as hydrocolloids, dietary fibers, protein isolates, and calcium powders from eggshells or oyster shells have shown partial success in restoring water-holding capacity, pH buffering, and textural integrity. In addition, non-thermal processing technologies, such as high-pressure processing, ultrasound, and cold plasma are explored as complementary strategies to enhance the efficacy of natural ingredients and support industrial scalability. However, challenges persist regarding ingredient variability, dose-dependent effects, and consistency in functional performance. Future research should focus on synergistic ingredient combinations, formulation standardization, and scalable application in industrial production to ensure the production of high-quality clean-label meat products. Full article

Determining the technological quality of fresh meat pieces is essential in the meat industry to ensure the production of high-quality products. For this purpose, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) is a non-destructive and non-invasive technique that appears as an alternative to traditional methodologies. The objective of this work is to determine the potential of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and time-domain (TD-NMR) relaxometry for determining the physicochemical characterization of fresh hams with different industrial destinations (both fresh and cured products, such as dry-cured ham). For this study, the biceps femoris, semimembranosus, and semitendinosus muscles of 20 fresh hind legs from white pigs, classified into four categories according to their fat content, were analyzed. The semitendinosus muscle was selected as a model, and positive and negative correlations were obtained between different physicochemical parameters and the longitudinal (T1) and transverse (T2) relaxation times obtained by MRI and TD-NMR. Regression models using T1 and T2 were also developed to predict the muscle water-holding capacity (WHC) and drip loss, using high, medium, and low magnetic field NMR (R² > 0.80). Therefore, MRI and TD-NMR could be considered as highly suitable and accurate non-destructive techniques for the WHC determination in the meat industry. Full article

Meat products contain synthetic additives such as sodium ascorbate and sodium erythorbate as reducing agents, raising concerns regarding their potential health implications. This study evaluated the effectiveness of grapefruit, lemon, mandarin, or orange peel extract powders (0.1% each) as natural reducing agents in pork sausages, in combination with pre-converted Chinese cabbage powder (PCCP, 0.44%) as a natural nitrite source. The physicochemical properties of the citrus extracts varied, with the lemon peel extract powder exhibiting the lowest pH (4.90) and the highest vitamin C content (874.84 mg/100 g). Sausages containing PCCP and citrus peel extract powders exhibited lower cooking loss (4.54–5.45%) than the control (5.93%), while their pH remained unaffected. Color analysis of the citrus extract-treated samples revealed no significant differences in lightness and redness and increased yellowness. The residual nitrite content was observed to be higher in the groups treated with citrus peel extract powders (53.91–54.98 ppm) compared to the groups treated with sodium ascorbate (29.88 and 34.16 ppm). However, the cured pigment content, curing efficiency, and lipid oxidation were consistent across all formulations. Our findings suggest that the use of citrus peel extract powders can replace the addition of sodium ascorbate in clean-label cured meat products without compromising color development and oxidative stability. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from organic acid whey as an alternative to nitrites in heat-treated organic sausages. Eleven LAB strains were screened for their ability to develop sensory characteristics similar to traditionally cured meat. Based on the results, Lactiplantibacillus plantarum S21 was selected for further experiments. Four sausage treatments were produced: control cured (C), salted (S), salted with L. plantarum S21 at 10⁷ CFU/g (LP), and salted with acid whey (AW). The pH value, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP), antioxidant activity of peptides (ABTS•+), thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance (TBARS), fatty acid profile, and microbiological quality were assessed post-production and after 14 days of cold storage. After production, the LP and AW sausages had a lower pH than the cured (C) and uncured (S) control samples. LP sausages exhibited a stable pink colour due to myoglobin conversion to nitrosylmyoglobin, comparable to the cured control. The LP sausages were similar in overall sensory quality to the cured (C) samples and were superior to the S and AW sausages after storage. The lowest ORP value was observed in treatment C after production, whereas after storage, no significant differences were found between the treatments. The highest antioxidant activity of peptides was observed in the LP sausages. It was shown that the LP and AW treatments had lower saturated fatty acid content and higher monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acid content than the C and S treatments. Nevertheless, the C treatment had the lowest TBARS value. Lower total viable counts were found in the C and LP treatments than in the S and AW treatments after storage. Our research demonstrates the potential of L. plantarum S21 for producing heat-treated sausages without nitrites, assuming the implementation of additional anti-botulinum barriers. Nevertheless, further studies on the role of bacteria in meat oxidation processes are needed. Full article

The increasing demand for sustainable and nutritionally rich protein sources has led to a growing interest in edible insects as a viable alternative to traditional meat. This study evaluates the potential of mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) flour as a partial meat replacer in the formulation of dry fermented sausages (salchichón). Four formulations were prepared, replacing 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% of pork meat with mealworm flour, and their microbiological, physicochemical, rheological, technological, and sensory properties were analyzed. Results showed that the incorporation of mealworm flour did not compromise the growth of lactic acid bacteria or Gram-positive catalase-positive cocci, both essential for fermentation and curing. The inclusion of mealworm flour significantly increased the protein, fiber, and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content of the sausages, improving their nutritional profile. Notably, despite the higher PUFA content, lipid oxidation was reduced, as evidenced by lower concentrations of oxidation-derived volatile compounds. Significant changes were also observed in color, particularly at higher replacement levels, which resulted in a noticeable darkening of the sausages. Sensory evaluation indicated that replacing up to 5% of pork meat maintained product acceptability, whereas higher levels caused significant changes. The partial replacement of pork by mealworm flour shows interesting possibilities to produce more sustainable and functional dry fermented meats. Full article

The olive oil industry generates large quantities of olive cake (OC), making its use in animal feed an environmentally sustainable alternative. Considering that the ham of Bísaro pigs is traditionally used for the production of cured ham, the analysis of raw meat is essential to understand how diet influences its quality before the maturation process. This study examined the effect of different types of OC in the diets of Bísaro pigs, focusing on the chemical compositions and fatty acid profiles of three fresh ham muscles—biceps femoris (BF), semimembranosus (SM), and semitendinosus (ST). Forty Bísaro pigs were assigned to five diets: control (CD), 10% raw OC (COC), two-phase OC (TPOC), exhausted OC (EOC), and exhausted OC with 1% olive oil (EOC-OO). The diets significantly influenced moisture, protein, collagen, and haem pigments (p < 0.05). TPOC had the highest moisture content, while CD had the lowest. Protein levels were higher in BF and SM for OC-fed pigs. Collagen in ST was highest in CD and lowest in EOC. Haem pigments varied, with EOC highest in BF and ST and EOC-OO highest in SM. Significant MUFA differences were found in BF (p < 0.001), highest in CD and lowest in TPOC. PUFA levels and the PUFA/SFA ratio were highest in TPOC (p < 0.001), while SFA remained unchanged. The results suggest that up to 10% OC can be included in pig diets without compromising meat quality, but factors such as economic viability and nutritional variability must be considered. This study provides new insights into how OC affects muscle composition, contributing to optimizing feeding strategies for better meat quality and sustainability. Full article

This study investigates the volatile compounds that contribute to the unique flavor and aroma profiles of cured meat products using alternative ingredients, specifically focusing on commercially available, conventional, and organically produced pre-converted celery (Apium graveolens) and Swiss chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. maritima) juices and powders. Volatile compounds were isolated and analyzed using an optimized method involving steam distillation with liquid–liquid phase extraction coupled with gas chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The key volatile compound identified in celery was 3-butylisobenzofuran-1(3H)-one, and in Swiss chard, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol. In both conventional and organic celery juice, senkyunolide, sedanolide, and limonene were the primary volatiles, listed in descending order of concentration. This pioneering work on volatile and aromatic compounds in alternative curing ingredients provides foundational knowledge for sensory and volatile compound studies in alternative meat curing. It also offers valuable insights for organic plant and meat producers, processors, and consumers. Practically, this research highlights volatile chemicals that could interact with other meat constituents or residues in finished products, informing and enlightening future studies on the sensory and aromatic properties of alternative cured meats. Overall, this study contributes to the development of alternative cured meats, supporting the research and innovation of organic meats. Full article

Management of stored-product pests has historically relied on fumigation when pest populations become large. However, the ban of the fumigant methyl bromide and the ineffectiveness of other pesticides stress the need for alternative fumigants. Therefore, laboratory studies were conducted to evaluate the efficacy of ethanedinitrile (EDN) against different life stages of the mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae and to determine the sorption and desorption of EDN by dry-cured ham meat. The results showed that eggs were the most tolerant life stage to EDN fumigation, with an estimated LC₅₀ of 0.6 mg/L. Tyrophagus putrescentiae mixed life-stage colonies were controlled at 1.3 mg/L, and less than 0.05% of the population survived following treatment with 0.6 mg/L within 24 h at 25 °C. The free-headspace concentrations of EDN in fumigation chambers containing ham decreased by 97% of the initial concentrations applied (2.6 and 4.8 mg/L) after the 24 h fumigation period. The EDN sorption in ham followed the first-order kinetics, with half-life values of 5.0 and 4.9 h for 2.6 and 4.8 mg/L, respectively. The percentage losses of EDN per hour were calculated to be 12.8 and 13.2% at 2.6 and 4.8 mg/L, respectively. Our study indicates that EDN controls T. putrescentiae in the laboratory. Full article

In order to elucidate the development of quality properties in the fat portion of Chinese bacon during low-temperature smoking (LTS), raw pork was cured for five days, followed by infusion with smoked liquid and a subsequent ten-day smoking period characterized by alternating high and low-temperature conditions. The physicochemical characteristics and microstructures of the fat portion of the Chinese bacon were examined at three stages: the raw meat stage (Control), the curing stage (C3d and C5d), and the smoking stage (S5d and S10d). The results showed that LTS increased the hardness, transparency, and b* value of bacon fat. The increased contents of neutral lipids and free fatty acids, increased activities of neutral lipase and lipoxygenase, and increased peroxide and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance value indicated significant lipolysis and lipid oxidation of bacon fat during LTS. After the treatment, a decreased melting point and increased β′- and β-type fat crystal formation were observed in the fat portion. Moreover, the treatment led to disruption of the adipocyte membrane structure. Therefore, the destruction of adipocytes after lipolysis and lipid oxidation during low-temperature smoking treatment might contribute to the development of quality properties of bacon fat portions. Precise control of temperature and time enhances the stability of the fat portion of bacon, thereby improving quality characteristics such as texture and appearance. Full article

In this study, we investigated the effects of different nitrite sources (sodium nitrite or white kimchi powder) and pink-generating ligands (cysteine, histidine, or nicotinamide) on the development and stability of cured meat color in pork sausage model systems over 30 d of refrigerated storage. The samples were prepared in a 2 × 3 factorial design with two nitrite sources and three ligands, and their physicochemical properties were evaluated on days 0, 15, and 30. Although white kimchi powder induced cured color development similar to that of synthetic sodium nitrite, it resulted in higher cooking loss and lower residual nitrite content in cured pork sausages (p < 0.05). The addition of cysteine resulted in significantly higher CIE a* values, cured meat pigment, and curing efficiency than histidine and nicotinamide (p < 0.05), while yielding lower pH values, residual nitrite content, and total pigment content (p < 0.05). The storage duration significantly reduced the residual nitrite and total pigment contents of the products. These findings suggest that white kimchi powder can serve as a natural alternative to sodium nitrite in pork sausage models and that the incorporation of cysteine has a favorable impact on the development and enhancement of cured meat color. Full article

Several synthetic food additives that bear an E-number are used by the meat industry as antioxidants/preservatives of cured meat products, such as pariza-type meat emulsion products. However, these agents have been associated with health problems, namely cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, and potential carcinogenic effects. As a result, natural alternatives are constantly under evaluation with the intention of replacing/minimizing their applications in the meat industry. The aim of the present study was therefore to evaluate the effects of a natural citrus phenolic complex extract on the quality characteristics of pariza-type meat emulsion products. The following three batches of pariza were produced based on the same raw material and recipe: a control group without natural antioxidants and two groups with the addition of the polyphenol complex at the levels of 500 and 1000 ppm. The pH, color, tenderness, and oxidative stability of the meat products were assessed immediately after pariza manufacture (day 0), and 30 and 72 days after the start of its refrigerated storage. As indicated, the oxidative stability of pariza was improved as a result of the natural polyphenol complex addition, since the values of malondialdehyde (MDA), an index of lipid peroxidation, were linearly decreased. Parameters such as pH, lightness (L), and yellowness (b*) were linearly increased, while redness (a*) was linearly decreased, and tenderness was not significantly influenced in the treatment groups compared to the control group. It can be concluded that the natural polyphenol complex under examination can be utilized for the improvement of oxidative stability in pariza. Full article

The Italian pig sector requires heavy pigs (raised for at least nine months and slaughtered at >160 kg). In order to avoid boar taint and lower the impact on welfare, immunocastration provides an alternative to surgical castration. This study investigated the effects of immunocastration compared to surgical castration on the chemical composition and fatty acid profile of loins (longissimus dorsi muscle) and adipose tissue in Italian heavy pigs raised for dry-cured ham. Twenty-four male pigs were subjected to surgical castration (n = 12) or immunocastration (n = 12). Carcass parameters were monitored at slaughter, and samples of longissimus dorsi muscle and subcutaneous fat were analysed. This study showed no significant differences in carcass characteristics and proximate composition of fresh meat. However, variations were observed in the fatty acid profiles of meat and adipose tissue between groups. Notably, saturated fatty acids, particularly stearic acid (18:0), were higher in the intramuscular fat (IMF) of the immunocastrated pigs compared to the surgically castrated pigs. Conversely, monounsaturated fatty acids, predominantly oleic acid (18:1n-9), were higher in the IMF from the surgically castrated pigs compared to the immunocastrated pigs. While immunocastration may offer benefits in terms of animal growth and carcass composition, it could lead to unfavourable lipid changes in fresh loin meat for Italian heavy pigs. Full article

Two of the main issues related to cured meat products are castration to avoid boar taint and the hefty reliance on soybean meal to feed pigs. However, data on the effects of immunocastration in pigs and alternative crop protein feeds on the sensory traits and consumers’ acceptance of dry-cured loin are still limited. A preliminary study was conducted on the effect of sex type (surgical castrated male pigs and immunocastrated male and female pigs, at approximately 140 kg in weight and 7 months of age) and animal diet (pea vs. soya) on dry-cured loins. The study involved a sensory evaluation of six treatments, with a 3 × 2 factorial design, conducted by trained panellists and untrained consumers in Spain (n = 126) and Portugal (n = 80). The consumers were also checked for their skatole sensitivity using a pure substance. The results showed that the pea-based diet was significantly different (p < 0.001) from the soy-based diet, as determined by a trained panel of surgically castrated male pigs, although the immunocastration treatments were not split. Dry-cured loin from immunocastrated male pigs fed with peas was considered tenderer and juicier (p < 0.05) than those fed soya-based diets. The untrained consumer panel scored higher on the sensory traits (flavour, juiciness, and overall liking) from the loin samples of surgically castrated male pigs fed a pea diet. All consumers scored similarly in boar taint detection. This study demonstrates the applicability of the pea-based diet for the feeding of pigs destined for cured meat and highlights immunocastration as a tool that does not compromise the skatole detection score. Full article