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The role of oxygen in the microbial spoilage of luncheon meat cooked in a plastic casing
Author(s) -
Bell R.G.,
Lacy Karen M. De
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
journal of applied bacteriology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.889
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1365-2672
pISSN - 0021-8847
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2672.1982.tb01289.x
Subject(s) - food spoilage , casing , food science , shelf life , oxygen permeability , meat spoilage , emulsion , oxygen , chemistry , biology , bacteria , petroleum engineering , biochemistry , geology , genetics , organic chemistry
The shelf life at 25°C of chub‐packed luncheon meat was inversely related to oxygen (O 2 ) availability within the casing. With fibrous casings that are freely permeable to O 2 , shelf life was less than 3 d. With plastic casings of low O 2 permeability, the shelf life was 7 d when air was trapped in the emulsion during the casing filling process, 14 d when air was not trapped (normal vacuum‐stuffing) and greater than 28 d when vacuum‐stuffed chubs were stored in hydrogen (H 2 ). The initial spoilage bacteria, Bacillus spp., grew only at the surface unless air was trapped in the emulsion when growth occurred throughout the luncheon meat. Bacillus spp. failed to grow on luncheon meat stored under H 2 . Oxygen availability within the casing determined both the site and rate of microbial spoilage of chub‐packed luncheon meat.