Premium
Effect of Storage Temperature and Time on the Quality of Vacuum Packaged Dry‐Cured Ham Slices
Author(s) -
KEMP J.D.,
LANGLOIS B.E.,
AKERS K.,
MEANS W.J.,
AARON D.K.
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of food science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1750-3841
pISSN - 0022-1147
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2621.1988.tb07716.x
Subject(s) - aroma , nitrite , food science , nitrate , shelf life , chemistry , dietary nitrate , vacuum packing , mold , biology , botany , organic chemistry
ABSTRACT Hams were cured and aged by three methods, two using nitrite and nitrate but with long or short aging times at controlled temperature, and one using no nitrite or nitrate with ambient aging temperature. Hams were sliced, vacuum‐packaged and stored at 0°C, 10°C or 21°C for 8 wk and examined weekly for white film, aroma, and aerobic, staphylococci, lactobacilli, yeast and mold counts. White film development was erratic. Aroma was closely related to aerobic counts. At 0°C bacterial counts and aroma remained normal for 8 wk. At 10°C many packages had acceptable counts and aroma at 8 wk but some were unacceptable by 4 or 5 wk. At 21°C many slices were unacceptable microbiologically and sensorily by 3 wk. Storage at or near 0°C is recommended for long shelf life.