Processing Flashcards
What is meat processing?
Any mechanical, chemical, or enzymatic treatment of meat that alters the form in which it originally occurs.
What are the primary purposes of meat processing?
- Preservation and/or shelf-life extension.
- Tenderization (any means).
- Manipulation and control of composition (fat, moisture, protein)
- Portion control (shape, size, weight).
- Meat cookery.
- Improvement of consumer convenience.
What are the seven methods of meat preservation.
- Freezing
- Mechanical refrigeration.
- Heat pasteurization.
- Heat sterilization.
- Dehydration.
- Irradiation.
- Curing and smoking.
What is the most common method of preserving fresh meats?
Freezing.
What physical effects occur during freezing of meat?
- Inactivation of meat enzymes
- Inhibition of growth of spoilage organisms
What happens to meat juices during freezing?
Meat juices freeze at 28-29°F
What is the difference between slow and rapid freezing?
- Slow freezing: water pools and crystals stretch and rupture tissues, damaging meat quality
- Rapid freezing: smaller crystals form, preserving meat quality.
What is oxidative rancidity?
Oxygen interacts with carbon double bond forming aldehydes and shorter fatty acids
What causes freezer burn?
Moisture lost from frozen meat surface
What common meat preserver increases fat oxidation?
Salt.
List the five keys for chilled meat preservation.
- Keep in cold
- Keep it clean
- Remove essentially all the oxygen from package
- Prevent oxygen from reentering the package
- At least 25% carbon dioxide in package
What is sous vide?
A method of cooking in a vacuum-sealed bag at a controlled low temperature
What is modified atmosphere packaging?
Pushing nitrogen, CO2, oxygen, or a mixture into packaged meat to preserve it.
Who first developed canning?
Nicolas Appert in 1809
What is the difference between sterilized and pasteurized canned products?
- Sterilized products: shelf stable
- Pasteurized products: require refrigeration
What are some examples of sterilized meat products?
- Potted meat.
- Vienna-style wieners.
- Corned beef.
- Corned beef.
- Beef stew.
What are two examples of pasteurized meat products?
- Canned ham.
- Frankfurters.
What is the water activity (a_w) requirement for low moisture food?
a_w < 0.60 and < 25% moisture.
What is the water activity (a_w) requirement for intermediate moisture food?
a_w 0.60 to 0.85 and < 50% moisture.
What temperature constitutes low temperature drying?
<120 F.
What temperature constitutes high temperature drying?
> 200 F.
What are two other options for drying out food?
- Freeze drying.
- Salting.
What is irradiation in food processing?
Food exposed to radiant energy to eliminate foodborne pathogens
What is irradiation?
Food exposed to radiant energy (electron beam, gamma rays, or x-rays) to eliminate foodborne pathogens.
What are some approved uses of irradiation by FDA and USDA?
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Spices (Mostly)
- Raw poultry
- Red meats
What must all irradiated products be labeled with?
“Treated with Radiation” or “Treated with Irradiation”.
What are the 5 types of packaging that can be used on meat?
- Aluminum foil.
- Films (polyethylene).
- Food-grade “plastic” dip.
- Laminated foils.
- Wax- or paraffin-treated Kraft papers.
What are common methods of mechanical tenderization?
- Needle of blade tenderized
- Rotary steak macerator
What are some common enzymatic tenderizers?
- Papain (from papaya)
- Bromelain (from pineapple)
- Ficin (from fig)
*A blend of all 3 is also available.
How is meat tenderizer introduced to meat?
- Injection.
- Sprayed.
- Dipped.
What is sodium tripolyphosphate used for?
Increases water holding capacity by increasing pH and protein solubility, improves tenderness.
Where is sodium tripolyphosphate used?
- Fresh pork.
- Fresh poultry.
What are the 10 methods used for fat analysis?
- Babcock method.
- Cooking.
- Electrical conduction and impedance.
- Ether extract.
- NIR.
- Potassium-40 “whole body counting”.
- Rapid microwave moisture and fat analysis system.
- Specific gravity.
- Ultrasound.
- X-ray (Anyl-Ray).
What things are necessary when sampling for quality control?
- Define your lot.
- Take similar weight samples at random.
- Variation and desired accuracy determines number of samples needed.
What are common hamburger patty sizes?
- 2.7 oz. for 6 per pound.
- 4.0 oz. for 4 per pound (Quarter Pounder).
- 5.3 oz. for 3 per pound.
What is the standard fat content in a hamburger for optimum juiciness and flavor?
20% fat
What percentage of fat does USDA permit in ground beef?
Up to 30% fat
What does lower fat meat need to compete with regular fat meat?
Additives for flavor and binding.
What is the purpose of blending in meat processing?
To create a leaner blend and a fat blend
What process do most large plants have?
A continuous system of grinding, blending, forming, freezing, and packaging.
Why is pre-cooked/frozen convenience food handled with such care?
To avoid microbial recontamination.
What is restructured meat made from?
Comminuted meat mixed with phosphate, salt, and/or a protein or carbohydrate binder.
What are the different forms of restructured meat products?
- Flaked and formed
- Chunked and formed
- Sectioned and formed
- Chopped and formed
- Whole muscle
What is mechanically separated meat?
Ground up meat and bones pushed through a sieve that catches the bone particles.
*Higher in calcium.
What is surimi?
Minced fish washed with large amounts of water
What is extrusion?
Forcing material to flow through a shaped hole or slot at a pre-determined rate.
What is extrusion used to make?
Sausage and other processed meats.
