Quality and Safety of Meat Products

Enhancement of culled ewes' meat quality: Effects of aging method and time

This study assesses the impact of wet and dry aging, over 35 days, on various physico-chemical, colorimetric, oxidative, volatolomic, and sensory attributes of meat from culled ewes. Water holding capacity of dry-aged (DA) meat increased from day 28 and was significantly higher than wet-aged (WA) meat. Cooking loss of DA meat decreased, and it was lower than that of WA meat. Warner Bratzler shear force increased in DA meat but decreased in WA meat during aging. Higher oxidation product concentration in DA meat likely results from oxygen exposure. Some aldehydes and ketones peaked at day 7 in DA meat, surpassing levels in WA meat. Overall liking scores favored DA meat at day 14 and 21 but declined from day 14 to 35, coinciding with increased pentanal content. Dry aging could improve the acceptability of culled ewes' meat more than wet aging, but in short aging time (14 days).

The quality of beef in the conditions of the former Semipalatinsk Test Site

The territory of the Semipalatinsk Nuclear Test Site represents vast areas of grassy steppes, their use as pastures seems promising. The purpose of work was to compare beef samples obtained from settlements belonging to different categories of radiation risk: Kokpekty village, Chagan urban-type settlement, Krivinka village, Sarzhal village, three samples were examined from each settlement. Organoleptic analysis, radiometric determination of 137 Cs, was used as criteria. Also, an analysis of the amino acid composition by the high-performance liquid chromatograph method was carried out and a calculation of protein indicators was made: meat tenderness, amino acid usefulness, nutrition value. The organoleptic examination showed the compliance of all samples with the standards, with the exception of one sample from the Sarzhal village. The study of the specific activity of 137 Cs showed a direct correlation between the category of radiation risk and the content of this radioisotope in meat from different zones. The availability of some deviations in the samples indicators obtained from the Sarzhal village indicates the need to approach the products control from this zone more carefully, and radioisotope analysis should become a decisive criterion in determining the safety profile of the product.

The relationship between acidification (pH) and meat quality traits of polish white breed pigs

The paper presents the results of a study on the relationship between acidification (pH) and standard quality characteristics of the meat of Polish Large White × Polish Landrace pig crossbreds. The meat for the study was obtained from 184 F1 Polish Large White × Polish Landrace fatteners from a herd free of the stress-sensitivity gene. The obtained results were analysed in groups formed according to the meat’s measured pH45 values (≤ 6.3; 6.3–6.7; > 6.7) and pHu values (≤ 5.3; 5.3–5.6; > 5.6). Increasing measured pH45 values were paralleled by greater water-holding capacity and plasticity, lower drip loss, darker colour L* as assessed visually and with equipment, and greater content of muscle pigments (P < 0.01) of the evaluated meat. Higher pHu values had a more pronounced impact on WHC, free drip loss, tenderness, water content, and colour parameters: a*, b*, chroma C* (P < 0.01), and hue angle ho (P < 0.05). The obtained simple correlations between pH45 and pHu acidity and meat-quality characteristics indicate that the measured pH45 value was correlated more closely than ultimate acidification (P < 0.01) with visually assessed colour intensity, tactilely assessed meat hardness, colour lightness L* (P < 0.01), hue angle ho (P < 0.05), and muscle pigment content. On the other hand, pHu was more strongly correlated with water-holding capacity, drip loss, meat tenderness as well as water and protein content (P < 0.01).

Antimicrobial Resistance of Non-Typhoid Salmonella in Meat and Meat Products

Salmonella enterica serovars are associated with numerous annual deaths worldwide and are responsible for a large number of foodborne diseases. Within this frame of reference, knowledge of antimicrobial susceptibility represents the fundamental approach of most Salmonella treatments. Therefore, scientific publications of antimicrobial susceptibilities and resistance must be precise, with interpretations adjusted to a particular standard. Hence, the three objectives in this study were: (i) to describe the frequency of antimicrobial-resistant isolates of Non-Typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) isolated from beef, pork, chicken meat, and other meat products; (ii) to describe the distribution of serovars and their multi-resistance to antibiotics for clinical use (veterinary and human) between 1996 and 2019; and (iii) to propose additional considerations that could improve the use and usefulness of the published results. Our results determined that the predominant isolates came from poultry. Enteritidis and Typhimurium were the most reported serovars by MIC (with both having the highest resistance to TET) while the lowest resistance was to CIP and CRO for Enteritidis and Typhimurium, respectively. The multi-resistance pattern AMP AMC CEP GEN KAN STR TET was the most frequently observed pattern by MIC in Montevideo and Seftenberg, while, for disc diffusion, the pattern AMP STR TET was the most frequent in the Bredeney serotype. In conclusion, researchers should carry out homogeneous sampling procedures, identify the types of the samples, use standard identification methods, and employ appropriate standards for antimicrobial susceptibility interpretation. Additionally, there is also a need for all WHO members to comply with the WHA 73.5 resolution. Our final recommendation is for all producers to reduce antibiotic prophylactic use.

How Volatile Compounds, Oxidative Profile and Sensory Evaluation Can Change with Vacuum Aging in Donkey Meat

Simple Summary

Aging in donkey meat was never investigated. It represents an important process, because it leads the muscle to become meat. There are many ways to age meat, and vacuum aging is one of these. The present paper characterised donkey meat Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) production during 14 vacuum aging days, its oxidative status and the consequent sensory evaluation. Lipid oxidative processes are delayed, but some protein oxidative processes happen, influencing VOCs production and sensory evaluation.

Abstract

This study aims to improve knowledge on donkey meat and the vacuum aging effect on the Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs), oxidative profile and status and the sensory characteristics. Ten 18-month old Martina Franca donkeys’ male foals were involved in the trial. Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle was extracted from each left half carcass, between the fourth and the ninth rib. Each muscle was divided into five sections, vacuum packaged, stored at 2 °C, and randomly assigned to one of the different aging time (1, 3, 6, 9, and 14 days of aging). Volatile compounds, oxidation parameters, and antioxidant enzymes were analysed, and a sensory test was performed. A nested one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed for aging time as an independent variable. Significance was set at p < 0.05. Aldehydes are the most produced VOCs, but no changes were observed during vacuum aging (p > 0.05). Nitrogen compounds increased during aging (p < 0.01). TBARs and hydroperoxides did not change during the storage, whereas the protein carbonyls increased (p < 0.05). Vacuum aging slowed down lipid oxidation and put in evidence the presence of protein oxidation and degradation, influencing the VOCs productions and sensory evaluation.