CA1144416A - Reduction of nitrosamine formation in processed meat products - Google Patents
Reduction of nitrosamine formation in processed meat productsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1144416A CA1144416A CA000333503A CA333503A CA1144416A CA 1144416 A CA1144416 A CA 1144416A CA 000333503 A CA000333503 A CA 000333503A CA 333503 A CA333503 A CA 333503A CA 1144416 A CA1144416 A CA 1144416A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- nitrite
- starter culture
- culture
- pork belly
- cured
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
- A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
- A23B4/14—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12
- A23B4/18—Preserving with chemicals not covered by groups A23B4/02 or A23B4/12 in the form of liquids or solids
- A23B4/20—Organic compounds; Microorganisms; Enzymes
- A23B4/22—Microorganisms; Enzymes; Antibiotics
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A23—FOODS OR FOODSTUFFS; TREATMENT THEREOF, NOT COVERED BY OTHER CLASSES
- A23B—PRESERVING, e.g. BY CANNING, MEAT, FISH, EGGS, FRUIT, VEGETABLES, EDIBLE SEEDS; CHEMICAL RIPENING OF FRUIT OR VEGETABLES; THE PRESERVED, RIPENED, OR CANNED PRODUCTS
- A23B4/00—General methods for preserving meat, sausages, fish or fish products
- A23B4/02—Preserving by means of inorganic salts
- A23B4/023—Preserving by means of inorganic salts by kitchen salt or mixtures thereof with inorganic or organic compounds
- A23B4/0235—Preserving by means of inorganic salts by kitchen salt or mixtures thereof with inorganic or organic compounds with organic compounds or biochemical products
Abstract
ABSTRACT
The present invention is directed to a process for nitrosamine control in nitrite cured meats and speci-fic compositions to effect the process. An effective amount of starter culture and/or chemical acidulant is added to a typical nitrite pickle or curing solution for treating meats to reduce the quantity of nitrosamine formed when the cured meat is cooked at frying tempera-tures. The starter culture is capable of producing an organic acid from fermentable carbohydrate. In a speci-fic embodiment of the invention, bacon is cured with a nitrite curing solution containing an amount of lactic acid starter culture and/or chemical acidulant in an amount effective to reduce the quantity of nitrosamine formed during cooking of the nitrite cured bacon.
The present invention is directed to a process for nitrosamine control in nitrite cured meats and speci-fic compositions to effect the process. An effective amount of starter culture and/or chemical acidulant is added to a typical nitrite pickle or curing solution for treating meats to reduce the quantity of nitrosamine formed when the cured meat is cooked at frying tempera-tures. The starter culture is capable of producing an organic acid from fermentable carbohydrate. In a speci-fic embodiment of the invention, bacon is cured with a nitrite curing solution containing an amount of lactic acid starter culture and/or chemical acidulant in an amount effective to reduce the quantity of nitrosamine formed during cooking of the nitrite cured bacon.
Description
REDI~CTION OF_NI~ROSAMIN F_ MATION
IN PROCESSED MEAT PRODUCTS
. . . _ _ _ . _ _ TEC~NICAL FlFLD: -This invcntion relates to the reduction of nitro-samine formation in processed meat products particularly in nitrite cured meats. More specifically, the invention relates to the process for reduction of cured meats, such as bacon, which are cooked at high temperatures by grill-ing or frying in their preparation for eating.
BACKGRO~ND ART:
It is well known to treat fresh meats with a curiny brine comprising an alkaline metal nitrite which provides a preservative action to the meat. The nitrite has the particular function of converting pigments, such as myoglobin and hemoglobin, to their nitrosyl derivatives to give the meat its characteristic color. The nitrite is particularly active ayainst food spoiling microorgan-isms of the species Clostridiwn and Salmonella. Organic nitrites may be substituted for the alkaline metalnitrite.
It has been found that meats ~ed with conve~ition~
curir-g mixtures result in minute amounts of undesirable nitrosamines to be formed on (ooking. That is, the cooXed cured meat product contains either n-nitrosopyrrolidine (NNP) or n--dimethyl nitrosamine (DNN), or both, which are known to be carcinogenic materials. Thus, it is desirable to reduce, eliminate or pre~ent the formation of these nitrosamines in the cooked meat product. Bacon is such a cured meat product with over seven hundred (700) meat producers supplying over 25,000,000 pounds of bacon per week in the United States.
Recent tests for determining the source of nitro-samine in the cured meat products are not conclusive. At the present time, it is not c]ear where or how the particular nitrosamine is being formed. Complex conditions within the meat product during processing have, to date, prevcnted the specific determination of any precursors of the nitrosamine in the meat product.
There have been several at-ternpts -to reduce or con--trol the nitrosamine forrnation in cured meats. These prior art procedures are represented by the patents 4,039,690, 4,076,849, 4,079,153 and 4,088,793. These patents refer to the use of various compounds such as aromatic primary and secondary amines, and otller sophisticated compound usage which would take years to put into practical use because of ~overnmental safety standards associated with chemicals in food products~ Thus, -~here is a critical need to find a method for reducing and controlling nitrosamines that will not take years to deve]op and use comrnercially.
The inoculation of foods with bacteria from the 41~
families of I..actobacteriaceae and Micrococcaceae is well known to produce flavor in cured meats (U.S. Patent 3,193S391). It is also well known to use lacti,c acid pro-ducing bacteria in other meat curing processes (U.S. Patents 5 3,794,739, 3,814,817 and 4,013,797). It is also well kno~n to use lactic acid as an accelerating agent in a curing brine solution ~U.S. Patent 2,681,287). Surprisingly, it has been found -that certain well known food additives may be ~Ised under specific conditions to produce the desired re-sults.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION:
_ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 'I`he primary object of the invention is to modify existing meat processing procedures in a rnanner to obtain governmental approval quickly to meet the critical need stated above.
Another object of the i,nvention is to provide a curing solution for meats incorporating known food additives in amounts sufficient to produce the new and unexpected re-sult of reducing nitrosamine formation in the cured meatproduct.
A further object of the invention is to provide a process of treating foods in a manner to provide a nitrite cured meat product wherein the formation of nitrosarnine dur-iny cookiny has }~een substantially eliminated.
The present i.nvention is d;,l-ected to a pl-ocess for n;trosamine control in nitrite cured meats and specific compositions to effect the process. An efective a~ount of starter culture and/or chemical acidulant is added to a typical nitrite pickle or curing solution for treating meats to reduce the quantity of nitrosamine formed when the cured meat is cooked at frying temperatures. The starter culture is capable of producing an organic acid from fermentable carbohydrate. In a specific embodiment of the invention, bacon is cured with a nitrite curing solution containing an amount of lactic acid starter culture and/or chemical acidu-lant in an amount effective to reduce the quantity of nitro-samine formed during cookin~ of the nitrite cured bacon.
According to well known chemical reactions, nitro-samines form in an acidic environment. Where the additives to the nitrite curing solution in the present invention are used, there is generally a reduction in the pH values, thus producing a more acidic environment. However, it has been discovered that even ullder such conditiolls, the formation of nitrosamine in the subsequently cooked meat product is sub-stantially reduced.
DETAILED DE.SCRII'rlON:
Bacon is a typical meat produc-t subjected to nitrite curing. Bacon is normally pLocessed by pumping raw pork bellies with a curing pickle. A typical pickle compo-sition is as fol]ows:
tj Salt 17 0 Sugar (sucrose) 3.6 Sodium tripolyphospllate 2.6 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 76 0 100.0 The pork bellies are yenerally pumped to obtain 10~ additional weight before being smoked. That is, 100 pounds of raw bellies would weigh 110 pounds after the pump-ing operation. The bellies are then hung in the smokehouse where they are heat processed at a temperature in the range of 125 to 135~ for a period of from about six to twelve ihours to obtain an internal temperature in the bellies of from about 126 to 128F. The cured bellies are then chiUea, sliced and vacuum packaged.
The product must shrink to its original green weight during the heat processing step. That is, the 110 pounds of weight would be reduced back to 100 pounds. The sliced bacon generally contains sufficiently high levels of residual nitrite of from about 20 to ]00 parts per million which subsequently combines with secondary amines to form nitrosamines during frying of the bacon. The pH of the bacon subjected to standard processing procedures as ais-cussed hereinabove is generally about 6.0 to 6.4.
Several specimens of bacon were prepared frompork bellies which have been treated in accordance with the following several examples.
~XAMPLE I
Cont,rol Bacon Specimen A pork bell.y was pumped to 10~ by weight with the above noted typical nitrite curing composition. The pumped belly was then processed normally at 135F. in a smokehouse with natural smoke to an internal temperature of about 126 to 128F. This smokehouse treatment was for a period of about 7.5 hours. The smoked belly was then frozen, sliced and analyzed for residual nitrite and pH levels before frying and for the quantity of nitrosarnines after frying. The analytical result of these tests was as follows:
Before frying-residual nitrite 60 ppm pH 6.4 After frying:
n--dimethyl nitrosamine 2.2 ppb l-nitro.sopyrrolidine27 ppb Residual nitrites generally fall within a range of 40 to 60 using conventional curing compositions. The acceptable level, of nitrosamines after frying is set by the ~nited States Government at 10 parts per billion or less and preferably 5 parts per billion or less. N-dimethyl nitro-samine is generally found in meat products, such as sausage and frankfurters. The l--nilrosopyrrolidine is prevalent in bacon.
The following examples II through V involve the use of different pi.ckle curing solutions which have been used to pump pork bellies 10~ by weight as i,n the control Example I. The prvcessing following the p~ping procedure is also the same as the control Example I, wherein the pumped pork belly ~as smoked at 135DF. with natural smoke to an internal temperature of about 126 to 128F. The smoking step was extended for approximately 7.5 hours. The smoked belly was then subsequently frozen, sliced and ana-lyzed for residual nitrite and pH level before ~rying and for the quantity of nitrosamines after frying the sliced specimen. Each of the e~amples set forth the analytical results as stated before and after ~rying.
~ EXAMPLE II
. __ Pickle Curing Composition Salt 17.0 Sugar (sucrose) 3.6 Sodium tr:ipolyphosphate 2.6 Sodium nilrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 ~ater 76.02 Lactic acid starter culture (ABC-18)* 0.01 100.O
Anal~tical Results Before frying:
residual nitrite 8.Q ppm pH 5.8 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 1.1 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine 15.0 ppb * Trade Mark EXAMPLE III
Pickle Curing Composition Salt 17.0 Sugar (sucrose) 10.0 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 72.22 Lactic acid star-ter culture (ABC-18) 0 01 l O O . O
Analytical Results Before frying:
residual nitrite 20.0 ppm pH 5.8 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 1.3 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine10.0 ppb EXAMPLE IV
Pickle Curing Composition ~
Salt 17.0 Dextrose (corn sugar)10.0 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 72 22 Lactic acid starter culture (ABC-18j 0.01 100. 0 Analytical Results __ _ __ Before frying: -residual nitrite 11.0 ppm pH 5.8 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 0.6 ppD
l-nitrosopyrrolidine 1.1 ppb EX~MP E V
Pickle Curing Compositlon Salt 17.0 %
Sugar ~sucrose~ 3.6 - Sod:ium tripolyphosphate 2.6 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 75 03 Lact-ide 1.0 100. 0 Analytical Re~u~ts Before frying:
residual nitrite 9.0 ppm pH 5.8 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamin~ 0.9 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine 15.0 ppb The lactic acid starter culture is commercially available from the American ~acterological & Chemical Research Corporation and is designated as "Strain 18."
More specifically, Strain 18 is Lactobacillus plantarum of the family of Lactobacteriaceae. With respect to Example V, the lactide is a chemical acidulant which, in addition to glucono-delta-lactone, lactic acid, acetic acid and the like, will operate to reduce the amount of nitrosamine formation in cured meat products upon cooking of same.
The specific culture used in the examples was a frozen concentrate of a living bacteria. ~owever, this bacteria may also be in dried fol~. A dead bacteria might also be used where there are active metabolic enzymes still present therein.
The following Examples VI and VII are di.rected to the use of pickle curing compositions as were used in Examples II and IV, respectively. I~owever, the processing parameters in these particular Examples VI and VII include an initial heat processing step at a temperature of from %5 to 100F. for an extended period of time, from about 12 to 18 hours. ~ore specifically, each of the pumped bellies in the Examples VI and VII have been held at 100 F.
for a period of about 16 hours~ The pretreated pumped bellies are then subjected to the same smokehouse treat-ment as was effected for the contro] bacon specimen of Example I.
11~4~16 EXAMPLE VI
Pickle .Curing Composition Sal~ 17.0 %
- Sugar (sucrose) 3.6 . 5 Sodium tripolyphosphate 2.6 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 ~ater 76.02 Lactic acid starter culture (ABC-18) 0.01 100. 0 Analytical Results - -Before frying:
residual nitrite 8.0 ppm pH 6.0 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 1.0 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine 13.0 ppb EXAMPLE VII
Pickle Curing Composition Salt 17.0 %
Dextrose (corn sugar) 10.0 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 72.22 Lactic acid starter culture - (ABC-18) 0.01 100. 0 Analytical Results Be~ore frying:
residual nitrite 5.0 ppm p~ 5.6 - 5 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 0.7 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine 4 0 ppb The raw pork bellies pumped with pickle curing solutions Or the above Examples contained large numbers of lactic acid microorganisms in an amount of from about 105 to 107 microorganisms. The microorganisms produce lactic acid to lower the p~ of the environment. Once the pH reaches a level of from about 4.8 to 5.2 pH, the microorganisms are killed. That is, the production of -the lactic acid ulti-mately produces a bacteriacide environment. Unlike mater-ial fermentation, where there are a variety of microorgan-isms, the use of a single species of a microorganism provides the opportunity to control the requisite pH
levels more effectively~
The tripolyphosphate acts as a buffering agent in a well known manner within the pickling compositions of the above Examples. The erthyorbate is a coloring additive or agent which provides co]or stability to the meat product.
The starting pork bellies and the analytical methods used to determine the nitrosamine levels are known to be variable. However, the E~amples clearly show 4 i~
the extremely significant reduction and control of nitro-.samine formation in nitrite cured meat products according to the present invention. The particular levels to which the nitrosamines have been reduced are well below the S acceptable levels established by the U.S. Government.
The particular mechanism by which the nitrosamine is re-duced or controlled is not-known. As already noted, the reaction environment within the meat product being cured is ex.tremely complex. Thus, no a-ttempt beyond a -theoreti-cal assumption is made to explain the surprising new andunexpected results obtained through the use of the nitrite pickling compositions of the present invention.
IN PROCESSED MEAT PRODUCTS
. . . _ _ _ . _ _ TEC~NICAL FlFLD: -This invcntion relates to the reduction of nitro-samine formation in processed meat products particularly in nitrite cured meats. More specifically, the invention relates to the process for reduction of cured meats, such as bacon, which are cooked at high temperatures by grill-ing or frying in their preparation for eating.
BACKGRO~ND ART:
It is well known to treat fresh meats with a curiny brine comprising an alkaline metal nitrite which provides a preservative action to the meat. The nitrite has the particular function of converting pigments, such as myoglobin and hemoglobin, to their nitrosyl derivatives to give the meat its characteristic color. The nitrite is particularly active ayainst food spoiling microorgan-isms of the species Clostridiwn and Salmonella. Organic nitrites may be substituted for the alkaline metalnitrite.
It has been found that meats ~ed with conve~ition~
curir-g mixtures result in minute amounts of undesirable nitrosamines to be formed on (ooking. That is, the cooXed cured meat product contains either n-nitrosopyrrolidine (NNP) or n--dimethyl nitrosamine (DNN), or both, which are known to be carcinogenic materials. Thus, it is desirable to reduce, eliminate or pre~ent the formation of these nitrosamines in the cooked meat product. Bacon is such a cured meat product with over seven hundred (700) meat producers supplying over 25,000,000 pounds of bacon per week in the United States.
Recent tests for determining the source of nitro-samine in the cured meat products are not conclusive. At the present time, it is not c]ear where or how the particular nitrosamine is being formed. Complex conditions within the meat product during processing have, to date, prevcnted the specific determination of any precursors of the nitrosamine in the meat product.
There have been several at-ternpts -to reduce or con--trol the nitrosamine forrnation in cured meats. These prior art procedures are represented by the patents 4,039,690, 4,076,849, 4,079,153 and 4,088,793. These patents refer to the use of various compounds such as aromatic primary and secondary amines, and otller sophisticated compound usage which would take years to put into practical use because of ~overnmental safety standards associated with chemicals in food products~ Thus, -~here is a critical need to find a method for reducing and controlling nitrosamines that will not take years to deve]op and use comrnercially.
The inoculation of foods with bacteria from the 41~
families of I..actobacteriaceae and Micrococcaceae is well known to produce flavor in cured meats (U.S. Patent 3,193S391). It is also well known to use lacti,c acid pro-ducing bacteria in other meat curing processes (U.S. Patents 5 3,794,739, 3,814,817 and 4,013,797). It is also well kno~n to use lactic acid as an accelerating agent in a curing brine solution ~U.S. Patent 2,681,287). Surprisingly, it has been found -that certain well known food additives may be ~Ised under specific conditions to produce the desired re-sults.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION:
_ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _ _ 'I`he primary object of the invention is to modify existing meat processing procedures in a rnanner to obtain governmental approval quickly to meet the critical need stated above.
Another object of the i,nvention is to provide a curing solution for meats incorporating known food additives in amounts sufficient to produce the new and unexpected re-sult of reducing nitrosamine formation in the cured meatproduct.
A further object of the invention is to provide a process of treating foods in a manner to provide a nitrite cured meat product wherein the formation of nitrosarnine dur-iny cookiny has }~een substantially eliminated.
The present i.nvention is d;,l-ected to a pl-ocess for n;trosamine control in nitrite cured meats and specific compositions to effect the process. An efective a~ount of starter culture and/or chemical acidulant is added to a typical nitrite pickle or curing solution for treating meats to reduce the quantity of nitrosamine formed when the cured meat is cooked at frying temperatures. The starter culture is capable of producing an organic acid from fermentable carbohydrate. In a specific embodiment of the invention, bacon is cured with a nitrite curing solution containing an amount of lactic acid starter culture and/or chemical acidu-lant in an amount effective to reduce the quantity of nitro-samine formed during cookin~ of the nitrite cured bacon.
According to well known chemical reactions, nitro-samines form in an acidic environment. Where the additives to the nitrite curing solution in the present invention are used, there is generally a reduction in the pH values, thus producing a more acidic environment. However, it has been discovered that even ullder such conditiolls, the formation of nitrosamine in the subsequently cooked meat product is sub-stantially reduced.
DETAILED DE.SCRII'rlON:
Bacon is a typical meat produc-t subjected to nitrite curing. Bacon is normally pLocessed by pumping raw pork bellies with a curing pickle. A typical pickle compo-sition is as fol]ows:
tj Salt 17 0 Sugar (sucrose) 3.6 Sodium tripolyphospllate 2.6 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 76 0 100.0 The pork bellies are yenerally pumped to obtain 10~ additional weight before being smoked. That is, 100 pounds of raw bellies would weigh 110 pounds after the pump-ing operation. The bellies are then hung in the smokehouse where they are heat processed at a temperature in the range of 125 to 135~ for a period of from about six to twelve ihours to obtain an internal temperature in the bellies of from about 126 to 128F. The cured bellies are then chiUea, sliced and vacuum packaged.
The product must shrink to its original green weight during the heat processing step. That is, the 110 pounds of weight would be reduced back to 100 pounds. The sliced bacon generally contains sufficiently high levels of residual nitrite of from about 20 to ]00 parts per million which subsequently combines with secondary amines to form nitrosamines during frying of the bacon. The pH of the bacon subjected to standard processing procedures as ais-cussed hereinabove is generally about 6.0 to 6.4.
Several specimens of bacon were prepared frompork bellies which have been treated in accordance with the following several examples.
~XAMPLE I
Cont,rol Bacon Specimen A pork bell.y was pumped to 10~ by weight with the above noted typical nitrite curing composition. The pumped belly was then processed normally at 135F. in a smokehouse with natural smoke to an internal temperature of about 126 to 128F. This smokehouse treatment was for a period of about 7.5 hours. The smoked belly was then frozen, sliced and analyzed for residual nitrite and pH levels before frying and for the quantity of nitrosarnines after frying. The analytical result of these tests was as follows:
Before frying-residual nitrite 60 ppm pH 6.4 After frying:
n--dimethyl nitrosamine 2.2 ppb l-nitro.sopyrrolidine27 ppb Residual nitrites generally fall within a range of 40 to 60 using conventional curing compositions. The acceptable level, of nitrosamines after frying is set by the ~nited States Government at 10 parts per billion or less and preferably 5 parts per billion or less. N-dimethyl nitro-samine is generally found in meat products, such as sausage and frankfurters. The l--nilrosopyrrolidine is prevalent in bacon.
The following examples II through V involve the use of different pi.ckle curing solutions which have been used to pump pork bellies 10~ by weight as i,n the control Example I. The prvcessing following the p~ping procedure is also the same as the control Example I, wherein the pumped pork belly ~as smoked at 135DF. with natural smoke to an internal temperature of about 126 to 128F. The smoking step was extended for approximately 7.5 hours. The smoked belly was then subsequently frozen, sliced and ana-lyzed for residual nitrite and pH level before ~rying and for the quantity of nitrosamines after frying the sliced specimen. Each of the e~amples set forth the analytical results as stated before and after ~rying.
~ EXAMPLE II
. __ Pickle Curing Composition Salt 17.0 Sugar (sucrose) 3.6 Sodium tr:ipolyphosphate 2.6 Sodium nilrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 ~ater 76.02 Lactic acid starter culture (ABC-18)* 0.01 100.O
Anal~tical Results Before frying:
residual nitrite 8.Q ppm pH 5.8 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 1.1 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine 15.0 ppb * Trade Mark EXAMPLE III
Pickle Curing Composition Salt 17.0 Sugar (sucrose) 10.0 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 72.22 Lactic acid star-ter culture (ABC-18) 0 01 l O O . O
Analytical Results Before frying:
residual nitrite 20.0 ppm pH 5.8 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 1.3 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine10.0 ppb EXAMPLE IV
Pickle Curing Composition ~
Salt 17.0 Dextrose (corn sugar)10.0 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 72 22 Lactic acid starter culture (ABC-18j 0.01 100. 0 Analytical Results __ _ __ Before frying: -residual nitrite 11.0 ppm pH 5.8 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 0.6 ppD
l-nitrosopyrrolidine 1.1 ppb EX~MP E V
Pickle Curing Compositlon Salt 17.0 %
Sugar ~sucrose~ 3.6 - Sod:ium tripolyphosphate 2.6 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 75 03 Lact-ide 1.0 100. 0 Analytical Re~u~ts Before frying:
residual nitrite 9.0 ppm pH 5.8 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamin~ 0.9 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine 15.0 ppb The lactic acid starter culture is commercially available from the American ~acterological & Chemical Research Corporation and is designated as "Strain 18."
More specifically, Strain 18 is Lactobacillus plantarum of the family of Lactobacteriaceae. With respect to Example V, the lactide is a chemical acidulant which, in addition to glucono-delta-lactone, lactic acid, acetic acid and the like, will operate to reduce the amount of nitrosamine formation in cured meat products upon cooking of same.
The specific culture used in the examples was a frozen concentrate of a living bacteria. ~owever, this bacteria may also be in dried fol~. A dead bacteria might also be used where there are active metabolic enzymes still present therein.
The following Examples VI and VII are di.rected to the use of pickle curing compositions as were used in Examples II and IV, respectively. I~owever, the processing parameters in these particular Examples VI and VII include an initial heat processing step at a temperature of from %5 to 100F. for an extended period of time, from about 12 to 18 hours. ~ore specifically, each of the pumped bellies in the Examples VI and VII have been held at 100 F.
for a period of about 16 hours~ The pretreated pumped bellies are then subjected to the same smokehouse treat-ment as was effected for the contro] bacon specimen of Example I.
11~4~16 EXAMPLE VI
Pickle .Curing Composition Sal~ 17.0 %
- Sugar (sucrose) 3.6 . 5 Sodium tripolyphosphate 2.6 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 ~ater 76.02 Lactic acid starter culture (ABC-18) 0.01 100. 0 Analytical Results - -Before frying:
residual nitrite 8.0 ppm pH 6.0 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 1.0 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine 13.0 ppb EXAMPLE VII
Pickle Curing Composition Salt 17.0 %
Dextrose (corn sugar) 10.0 Sodium nitrite 0.17 Sodium erythorbate 0.6 Water 72.22 Lactic acid starter culture - (ABC-18) 0.01 100. 0 Analytical Results Be~ore frying:
residual nitrite 5.0 ppm p~ 5.6 - 5 After frying:
n-dimethyl nitrosamine 0.7 ppb l-nitrosopyrrolidine 4 0 ppb The raw pork bellies pumped with pickle curing solutions Or the above Examples contained large numbers of lactic acid microorganisms in an amount of from about 105 to 107 microorganisms. The microorganisms produce lactic acid to lower the p~ of the environment. Once the pH reaches a level of from about 4.8 to 5.2 pH, the microorganisms are killed. That is, the production of -the lactic acid ulti-mately produces a bacteriacide environment. Unlike mater-ial fermentation, where there are a variety of microorgan-isms, the use of a single species of a microorganism provides the opportunity to control the requisite pH
levels more effectively~
The tripolyphosphate acts as a buffering agent in a well known manner within the pickling compositions of the above Examples. The erthyorbate is a coloring additive or agent which provides co]or stability to the meat product.
The starting pork bellies and the analytical methods used to determine the nitrosamine levels are known to be variable. However, the E~amples clearly show 4 i~
the extremely significant reduction and control of nitro-.samine formation in nitrite cured meat products according to the present invention. The particular levels to which the nitrosamines have been reduced are well below the S acceptable levels established by the U.S. Government.
The particular mechanism by which the nitrosamine is re-duced or controlled is not-known. As already noted, the reaction environment within the meat product being cured is ex.tremely complex. Thus, no a-ttempt beyond a -theoreti-cal assumption is made to explain the surprising new andunexpected results obtained through the use of the nitrite pickling compositions of the present invention.
Claims (24)
1. A process for curing a pork belly, said process comprising:
a) treating said pork belly with a nitrite curing solution containing nitrite salt and an amount of bacterial starter culture sufficient to reduce the quantity of nitrosamines in fried bacon from said cured pork belly, and b) subjecting said pork belly to a smokehouse treatment, c) said amount of starter culture being effective to produce a smoke cured pork belly having a pH in the range of about 5.6 to 6Ø
a) treating said pork belly with a nitrite curing solution containing nitrite salt and an amount of bacterial starter culture sufficient to reduce the quantity of nitrosamines in fried bacon from said cured pork belly, and b) subjecting said pork belly to a smokehouse treatment, c) said amount of starter culture being effective to produce a smoke cured pork belly having a pH in the range of about 5.6 to 6Ø
2. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein said culture is a lactic acid starter culture, and said solution includes sucrose which reacts with the starter culture to form an organic acid.
3. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein said culture is a lactic acid starter culture, and said solution includes dextrose which reacts with the starter culture to form an organic acid.
4. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein the culture is a lactic acid starter culture and the amount of culture in said nitrite curing solution is effective to produce from about 105 to 107 microorganisms in said cured pork belly.
5. A process as defined in claim 1 wherein said nitrite salt is sufficient to provide up to about 120 ppm of free nitrite in the cured pork belly.
6. The process as defined in claim 5 wherein said culture is a member of the Lactobacillaceae family of bacteria.
7. The process as defined in claim 6 wherein said starter culture is Lactobacillus plantarum.
8. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein said effective amount of starter culture is sufficient to reduce the quantity of nitrosamines in said fried bacon below about 10 ppb.
9. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein said nitrite level in the solution is from about 10 to 200 ppm to maintain the residual nitrite level in the cured meat product at about 120 ppm.
10. The process as defined in claim 1 wherein the pork belly treated with said curing solution is smoked to an internal temperature of about 125°F to 128°F.
11. A pork belly treating composition comprising:
a) a nitrite pickling solution containing a nitrite salt and an effective amount of a bacterial starter culture to reduce the quantity of nitrosamines formed in fried bacon from a pork belly prepared with said treating composition, b) said nitrite level in the solution is in an amount effective to produce nitrite curing of said meat.
a) a nitrite pickling solution containing a nitrite salt and an effective amount of a bacterial starter culture to reduce the quantity of nitrosamines formed in fried bacon from a pork belly prepared with said treating composition, b) said nitrite level in the solution is in an amount effective to produce nitrite curing of said meat.
12. The composition as defined in claim 11 wherein said culture is a lactic acid starter culture.
13. The composition as defined in claim 12 wherein said culture is a member of the Lactobacillaceae family of bacteria.
14. The composition as defined in claim 13 wherein said starter culture is Lactobacillus plantarum.
15. The composition as defined in claim 11 wherein said curing solution includes a fermentable carbo-hydrate, and said starter culture is effective to produce an organic acid from said fermentable carbohydrate.
16. The composition as defined in claim 15 wherein said fermentable carbohydrate is dextrose or sucrose.
17. The composition as defined in claim 11 wherein said starter culture is a lactic acid starter culture and the amount of culture in said aqueous solution is effective to produce from about 105 to 107 microorganisms in said cured meat product.
18. The composition as defined in claim 11 wherein said effective amount of starter culture is sufficient to reduce the quantity of nitrosamines in said fried meat below 10 ppb.
19. The composition as defined in claim 11 wherein said nitrite level in the solution is from about 10 to 200 ppm to maintain the residual nitrite level in the cured meat product at about 120 ppm.
20. A cured pork belly prepared with an aqueous nitrite curing solution containing an effective amount of bacteria to reduce the quantity of nitrosamines formed in fried bacon from said belly.
21. A pork belly as defined in claim 20 wherein said bacteria is a member of the Lactobacillaceae family of bacteria and the bacon is smoked to an internal temperature of about 126°F to 128°F.
22. A pork belly as defined in claim 21 wherein the residual nitrite level is at about 120 ppm.
23. A pork belly as defined in claim 21 wherein there are from about 105 to 107 microorganisms in said smoked pork belly.
24. A pork belly as defined in claim 20 wherein the pH of said pork belly is in the range of from about 5.6 to 6Ø
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US93425078A | 1978-08-16 | 1978-08-16 | |
| US934,250 | 1978-08-16 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1144416A true CA1144416A (en) | 1983-04-12 |
Family
ID=25465237
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000333503A Expired CA1144416A (en) | 1978-08-16 | 1979-08-10 | Reduction of nitrosamine formation in processed meat products |
Country Status (2)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1144416A (en) |
| GB (1) | GB2029192B (en) |
Families Citing this family (4)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NO152111C (en) * | 1980-04-14 | 1985-08-07 | Fmc Corp | PROCEDURE FOR INHIBITING PRODUCTION OF ENTEROTOXIN FROM CLOSTRIDIUM BOTULINUM IN SMOKED Meats, Poultry and Fish Products |
| CA1200413A (en) * | 1981-05-18 | 1986-02-11 | John S. Thompson | Compositions and method for inhibiting the growth of clostridia and/or coliform bacteria in corned beef, poultry products, cheese and carbohydrate food products |
| US8486480B2 (en) | 2002-12-20 | 2013-07-16 | Purac Biochem B.V. | Controlled acidification of food products using lactic- or glycolic acid oligomers/derivatives |
| ES2318186T3 (en) | 2002-12-20 | 2009-05-01 | Purac Biochem Bv | CONTROLLED ACIDIFICATION OF FOOD PRODUCTS USING OLIGOMEROS / DRIVATES OF LACTIC ACID OR GLYCOLIC ACID. |
-
1979
- 1979-08-10 CA CA000333503A patent/CA1144416A/en not_active Expired
- 1979-08-16 GB GB7928597A patent/GB2029192B/en not_active Expired
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB2029192A (en) | 1980-03-19 |
| GB2029192B (en) | 1983-05-05 |
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