Fermentations meats
Types of fermentations Definitions: Natural fermentation “Back-slopping”, “mother batch” Starter-culture initiated
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Common meat starters Lactobacillus sp. Pediococcus sp. L. plantarum, L. pentosus, L. sake, L. curvatus Pediococcus sp. P. pentosaceus, P. acidilactici Staphylococcus sp. S. carnosus Molds and yeasts Penicillium camemberti, P. chrysogenum, P. nalgiovense
General process Grinding of meat (pH ~ 5.9) Drying Add: salt (2.5-3%), glucose (0.4-0.8%) Nitrates/nitrites Sodium erythorbate Spices (sterilized) Starter culture Heating (optional) Smoking (optional) Fermentation (ripening) Encasing (stuffing)
Choosing a starter General characteristics Lactobacillus sp. Homofermentative Growth down to pH 4.5 Tolerant of salt (up to 6%) Tolerant of nitrates/nitrites Lactobacillus sp. “slow fermentations” (>96 hours; pH>5.5; 22-26 oC) More common in Europe Pediococcus sp “fast fermentations” (<48 hours; pH<5.2; ~40 oC) More common in US
Other bits about “fast” process Fast may also include “direct acidulation” Glucono-delta-lactone (GDL) Metabolized to glucose Converted to lactic acid by homofermentative starters Citric acid Rely on acidification for preservation Flavor almost exclusively from acid
Starters and color formation Oxymyoglobin (red) deoxymyoglobin (brown/purple) nitric oxide myoglobin (pink) Fermentation initially lowers oxygen concentrations (favors metmyoglobin) Metmyoglobin = -OH bound to Fe (brown)
Cultures that maintain cured color Staphylococcus carnosus, Kocuria varians (formerly Micrococcus varians) Some lactobacilli (L. sakai, L. plantarum) Slow fermentation Nitrate reductase (NO3 NO2) Nitrite reductase (NO2 NO) Also chemically under acidic conditions Also contribute to flavor (lipase, amino acid catabolism) Metmyoglobin = -OH bound to Fe (brown)
Smoking/Heating/Drying (“curing”) Phenols, carbonyls, organic acid inhibit microorganisms Flavor and color (carbonyls + amino acids) Drying ~10-20 oC or 2-3 weeks (generally) Dry sausage (25-50% moisture loss; aw < 0.91) Semi-dry (8-15% moisture loss; aw 0.90-0.94) Heating Depends upon style of sausage
Role of starter organisms Mold and yeasts On outside of casing Can be cosmetic Can be to decompose lactic acid Protect product against spoilage molds http://lpoli.50webs.com/page0001.htm
Spoilage Proteolytic organisms (Pseudomonas) Hydrogen sulfide Hydrogen peroxide producing organisms (Lactobacillus viridescens) Heterofermenters (Lactobacillus brevis) Souring (Brochrothrix sp.)
E. coli O157:H7 – Palmyra Bologna Company, March 2011
Good manufacturing practices (GMPs) Standardize your Come-Up-Time (CUT) Understand your equipment Control relative humidity Use standardized starter cultures Weaver's-Kutztown plant in Lebanon
Good manufacturing practices con’t “Degree-hour concept” Degrees above 60 oF x hours to pH 5.3 Fermentation temperature Max degree-hour < 90 oF 1200 90-100 oF 1000 101-110 oF 900 If fermentation temperature is 100 oF, must reach pH 5.3 within 25 hours.