Effects of Pre and Post-Rigor Marinade Injection on Some Quality Parameters of Longissimus Dorsi Muscles

Use of Essential Oils to Increase the Safety and the Quality of Marinated Pork Loin

This study aimed at evaluating the effects of the addition of an oil/beer/lemon marinade solution with or without the inclusion of oregano, rosemary and juniper essential oils on the quality, the technological properties as well as the shelf-life and safety of vacuum-packed pork loin meat. The results obtained suggested that, aside from the addition of essential oils, the marination process allowed to reduce meat pH, thus improving its water holding capacity. Instrumental and sensorial tests showed that the marination also enhanced the tenderness of meat samples, with those marinated with essential oils being the most positively perceived by the panelists. In addition, microbiological data indicated that the marinated samples showed a lower microbial load of the main spoiling microorganisms compared to the control samples, from the 6th to the 13th day of storage, regardless of the addition of essential oils. Marination also allowed to inhibit the pathogens Salmonella enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus, thus increasing the microbiological safety of the product. Overall outcomes suggest that the oil/beer/lemon marinade solution added with essential oils might represent a promising strategy to improve both qualitative and sensory characteristics as well as the safety of meat products.

Quality characteristics of the enhanced beef using winter mushroom juice

This study investigated the quality properties of enhanced beef, manufactured by injecting the beef with a brine containing winter mushroom juice powder (WMJP). The enhanced beef was manufactured by injecting the eye of round with brine (15% by green weight). Four treatments consisted of control (no injection of brine) and three enhanced beef, EBS (brine containing 5 g sodium chloride per kg beef), EBW 0.2 (brine containing 5 g sodium chloride and 2 g WMJP per kg beef), and EBW 0.5 (brine containing 5 g sodium chloride and 5 g WMJP per kg beef), were tested. The effect of enhancement or WMJP on the quality properties of beef was evaluated during storage at 4°C for 1, 5, and 10 days. Total aerobic bacteria counts between the control and the enhanced beef, and among EBS, EBW 0.2, and EBW 0.5 were not significantly different after any storage period (p > 0.05). The pH of beef was not different between the control and the enhanced beef, and among enhanced beef at 1 and 5 days of storage (p > 0.05). However, it was higher in the enhanced beef than control, and EBW 0.2 and EBW 0.5 had higher pH than EBS after 10 days of storage (p < 0.05). The enhanced beef showed a high total loss at all storage days (p < 0.05). There were no differences in total loss among enhanced beef after any storage period (p > 0.05). The enhanced beef had no consistent differences in L*, a*, and b* values with control during storage, however, EBW 0.5 showed high color stability. The hardness of the enhanced beef was significantly lower than that of the control after 10 days of storage, although the values were lower at all storage stages. EBS 0.5 had the lowest thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) value among cooked beef of all treatments at all storage days. The enhanced beef received higher scores in all sensory properties than control, and no negative effect of WMJP was found in the sensory quality of the enhanced beef. The use of winter mushroom juice can result in quality improvement in enhanced beef.