PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES

PRESERVATION TECHNIQUES FOR MEAT

 STUFFING/FILLING INTO CASINGS OR OTHER CONTAINERS

 DRYING
 HEAT TREATMENT
 SMOKING
STUFFING/FILLING INTO CASINGS OR OTHER
CONTAINERS

CASINGS
SOFT CYLINDRICAL CONTAINERS USED TO CONTAIN SAUSAGE MIXES

TWO TYPES OF CASING

1. NATURAL
2. ARTIFICIAL
 NATURAL CASING
SMALL AND LARGE INTESTINES FROM SHEEP, GOAT, AND PIGS

WHY INTESTINES?
• STRONG ENOUGH TO RESIST THE PRESSURE
• PERMEABLE TO WATER VAPOUR AND PRESERVATION
• ABSORB SMOKE FOR ADDITIONAL FLAVOR AND
PRESERVATION
• EXPAND OR SHRINK
• CAN BE CLOSED AT THE END BY TYING
PROCESSING STEPS FOR SMALL INTESTINES
 OUTPUTS OF MEAT CASING

Fresh sausages in pig casings

Large-calibre sausage in large (for frying)
pig intestine (pig middles) (not
“edible”)
Small-calibre sausages in “edible”
sheep casings
ARTIFICIAL CASINGS
MADE OF COLLAGEN (OFTEN DERIVED FROM CATTLE SKIN), CELLULOSE OR PLASTIC.

1. COLLAGEN CASINGS
MAINLY PRODUCED FROM COLLAGEN BEEF OR PIG HIDES, AND THE BONES AND TENDONS.

2. CELLULOSE CASINGS
FROM COTTON LINTERS OR WOOD PULP. PEELED OFF AFTER COOKING, RESULTING IN
”SKINLESS’’ FRANKS

3. PLASTIC CASINGS
SMOKE AND WATER CANNOT PASS THROUGH
 Meat in jelly in synthetic casing,
Frankfurters in collagen casing casing end closed by clip

Product in red coloured cellulose Products in transparent cellulose casings

casings (cal. 22) used to transfer colour (cal. 22) (after filling and before
to sausage surface smoking/cooking)
DRYING
• DRYING MAY BE DONE FOR THE SINGLE PURPOSE OF DEHYDRATING FRESH MEAT FOR EXTENSION OF
STORAGE

• DRYING AND FERMENTATION MUST GO HAND IN HAND TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRED FLAVOR AND SHELF LIFE

• TEMPERATURE: 70-80 ⁰C

TWO TYPES OF DRYING

1. SUN DRYING
2. SOLAR DRYING
SUN DRYING
• CHARACTERIZED BY DIRECT SOLAR RADIATION AND NATURAL AIR CIRCULATION ON THE
PRODUCT
• THEY ARE THEN SUSPENDED IN THE OPEN AIR OR SPREAD ON DRYING TRAYS

• FOR THE SUSPENSION METHOD, THE MEAT IS SOMETIMES DIPPED IN SALT SOLUTION
(APPROX. 14% COMMON SALT).

DISADVANTAGES

• EXPOSURE TO CONTAMINATION

• QUALITY DEFICIENCIES

• HEAVY MICROBIAL CONTAMINATION

Figure 1. Set-up for simple sun drying

Figure 3. Sun drying by

exposing flat meat pieces on
Figure 2. Sun drying by suspension drying trays
practiced in a rural setting.
SOLAR DRYING

• FOR LARGER-SCALE OR COMMERCIAL MEAT DRYING OPERATIONS IN RURAL SETTINGS

• SOLAR DRYING METHOD USES INDIRECT SOLAR RADIATION

• COLLECT SOLAR ENERGY BY HEATING-UP THE AIR VOLUME IN SOLAR COLLECTORS AND
CONDUCT THE HOT AIR FROM THE COLLECTOR TO THE MEAT DRYING CHAMBER
CONSTRUCTION OF SOLAR DRYERS

Figure 4. Tunnel dryer. Lower cost option Figure 5. Tunnel dryer. Higher cost option
ADVANTAGES

• ALLOWS A HIGHER LOAD CAPACITY IN THE DRYING CHAMBER

• LESS LABOUR INTENSIVE THAN DRYING BY SUSPENDING

• TOTAL DRYING TIME: 48 HOURS

Moisture Content on meat

1 day 40-45%
2 days 12-18%
QUALITY CRITERIA OF FINISHED PRODUCT
• APPEARANCE: UNIFORM
ABSENCE OF WRINKLES AND NOTCHES

• COLOUR: UNIFORM AND DARK RED

• TEXTURE: HARD, SIMILAR T FROZEN MEAT

• TASTE AND FLAVOUR: MILD SALTY TASTE

OFF- ODOR MUST NOT OCCUR
HEAT
TREATMENT
REDUCED GROWTH OF, OR INACTIVATE, MICROORGANISMS BY THERMAL PROCESS
• PRESERVATION EFFECTS FOR AN EXTENDED SHELF LIFE (STORABILITY) OF THE
PRODUCTS AND
• FOOD SAFETY EFFECTS BY ELIMINATING POTENTIAL FOOD POISONING AGENTS.

ENHANCED DESIRABLE TEXTURE, FLAVOUR AND COLOUR, IN ORDER TO MAKE

MEAT PRODUCTS MORE PALATABLE AND APPETIZING FOR CONSUMPTION.
 Meat loaf after heat Meat loaf with firm texture and Large calibre sausage upon heat
treatment (core temp. pink colour after heat treatment treatment (core temp. +70.3°C)
+72°C)
SMOKING
• PROCESS OF FLAVORING, BROWNING, COOKING OR PRESERVING FOOD BY EXPOSING IT TO
SMOKE FROM BURNING OR SMOLDERING MATERIAL, MOST OFTEN WOOD
• SMOKE IS GENERATED THROUGH THE THERMAL DESTRUCTION OF THE WOOD
COMPONENTS LIGNIN AND CELLULOSE.

DESIRABLE EFFECTS ON PROCESSED MEAT PRODUCTS:

1. MEAT PRESERVATION THROUGH ALDEHYDES, PHENOLS AND ACIDS (ANTI-MICROBIAL EFFECT)
2. ANTIOXIDANT IMPACT THROUGH PHENOLS AND ALDEHYDES
3. SMOKE COLOUR FORMATION THROUGH CARBONYLS AND ALDEHYDES
4. SURFACE HARDENING OF SAUSAGES/CASINGS THROUGH ALDEHYDES
UNDESIRABLE OF SMOKING
• BENZOPYRENE IN SMOKED PRODUCTS IS CARCINOGENIC WHEN INTAKE IS IN HIGH
DOSES. BUT NORMALLY NOT RELATED WITH MODERATELY SMOKED FOOD SUCH AS
SMOKED MEAT PRODUCTS.

TWO PRINCIPAL SMOKING TECHNIQUES

1. COLD SMOKING
2. HOT SMOKING
COLD SMOKING
DONE THROUGH FERMENTATION, SALTING OR CURING BEFORE PROCESS BEGINS

SHOULD BE COOKED TO AN INTERNAL TEMPERATURE OF 160 ⁰F BEFORE CONSUMPTION

HOT SMOKING
HOT SMOKES PRESERVES IN THREE WAYS:

HEAT KILLS MICROBES

CHEMICALS FOUND IN THE SMOKE
FOOD DRIES OUT SO THERE IS LESS MOIST AREA FOR BACTERIA TO GROW
Small smokehouse, inside view Smokehouse with sausages
ready for smoking