8. Types of processed meat products — definition — according to regulation 69/2016

Question 1

Definitions

Answer 1

• meat products: processed so when cut the surface no longer looks like cut meat (Reg 853/2004)
• minced meat: bones —> minced to fragments with < 1% salt
• meat preparation: fresh meat (including minced meat) that still looks like fresh meat but has
  seasoning or additives added
• raw materials: whole muscle, trimmings, MSM (high or low pressure), skin or rind

Question 2

Czech national law Decree No. 69/2016
- defines different types of meat products:

1-2

Answer 2

1. non-heat treated meat products: raw meat products, intended for human direct consumption
2. heat treated meat products: ≥ 70°C for 10 min —> increase palatability, decrease
   microorganism content, longer shelf-life at 5°C e.g. frankfurter

Question 3

Czech national law Decree No. 69/2016
- defines different types of meat products:

3

Answer 3

3. long-lasting heat treated meat products:
   - 70°C for 10 min + further processing (smoking, drying, maturing)
   - further processing to decrease the aW to < 0,93 —> decreases bacterial growth - minimal durability of 21 days at 20 degrees
   - e.g. salami

6.
7.
8.
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Question 4

Czech national law Decree No. 69/2016
- defines different types of meat products:

4

Answer 4

4. long lasting fermented meat products:
   - not heat treated but fermented using microflora - decreases aW < 0,93 by drying or curing
   - intended for direct consumption
   - e.g. hunting salami, pepperoni, pancetta

Question 5

Czech national law Decree No. 69/2016
- defines different types of meat products:

5

Answer 5

5. not heat treated for heat treatment meat products:
   - intended for heat treatment before consumption
   - has added fat and additives —> decreases pH and microorganisms - e.g. bratwurst and wine sausages

Question 6

Czech national law Decree No. 69/2016
- defines different types of meat products:

6

Answer 6

semi-preserved canned meat products:
meat preparation and not products
raw cut or minced meat and additives with NaCl or spices e.g. hamburger steak minced meat is boned then turned into fragments (< 1% salt)
mechanically separated meat can be:
- high pressure: 77% of all MSM in EU, higher Ca content
- low pressure: not visibly different from minced meat

Question 7

Czech national law Decree No. 69/2016
- defines different types of meat products:

7

Answer 7

fully preserved canned meat products:
heat treated at 121°C for 10 min —> sterilised and sealed e.g. luncheon meat or beef in own juice
long shelf-life: 4 years at 20°C

Question 8

Czech national law Decree No. 69/2016
- defines different types of meat products:

8

Answer 8

semi kitchen finished products: partially heat treated to be finished cooking by consumer e.g.
ready meals
- also classifies ham into three quality categories:
1. high class: content of pure muscle protein (PMP) of at least 16%
2. selected: PMP of at least 13%
3. standard: PMP of at least 10%
- note: high class and selected hams do not contain colorants, fibre, starch, vegetable proteins

Question 9

Treatment

- chilling:

Answer 9

decrease from 37°C to 10°C in 2 hours and then 7°C for red meat, 4°C for poultry and 3°C for offal

Question 10

Treatment

- heat treatment:

Answer 10

• cooking: 72-78°C
• frying or stewing or boiling: > 100°C
• smoking:
• traditional: chambers
• cold: 20-25°C i.e. smoked cooked in piper before getting to meat - warm: 50-60°C —> protein reactivated but not contracted
• hot: 80-90°C —> cook to kill microorganisms e.g. soft salami

Question 11

Treatment

• tenderisation:

Answer 11

mechanical cuts or trauma to meat to increase extract of protein, could also be done with needles or blades

Question 12

Additives

Answer 12

• requirements:
• must be approved
• not decrease microorganism risk
• not mislead the consumer
• marked on ingredients with an E code
• NaCl:
• enhances flavour
• decreases water activity
• stabilises myofibrillar protein

curing = adding salt and nitrite for durable colour —> nitrate reacts with myoglobin to form nitrosmyoglobin —> pink or red colour

ascorbic acid: colour enhancer

phosphates: break actin myosin bond to increase solubility

whole muscle brine injection: NaCl (2,5 % solution) + nitrites and sugar (5%) —> boil and cool
—> then inject to muscle —> makes muscle look juicy (slim thicc)

Question 13

Hurdles

Answer 13

• lots of small hurdles are better than one major one
• major hurdle: pH, aW, salt level, nitrite level, cook and storage temp
• examples for controls:
• low initial bacterial contamination
• storage < 4°C
• vacuum packing or MAP
• addition of acids to decrease pH
• decreased water activity: 0,91 stops growth of microorganisms - preservative with salt nitrites, ascorbic acid
• thermal treatment: pasteurise or sterilise
• acids from weakest to strongest: lactic acid, ascitic acid, propionic acid, sorbic acid, benzoic acid