Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #110011
Title: THE EFFECT OF HYDRODYNAMIC PRESSURE TREATMENT ON THE QUALITY OF KOSHERED MEAT

Author
item HOLZER, ZVI - VISITING SCIENTIST
item Williams Campbell, Anisha
item Berry, Bradford
item Spanier, Arthur
item Solomon, Morse

Submitted to: Yediot Labokrim
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/27/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: According to kosher meat industry representatives, salted meat results in a rapid color change from red to brown during the vacuum aging process, and sometimes an off-odor may be present. The objective of the present study was to assess the quality of koshered meat as affected by the hydrodynamic pressure process. An experiment consisting of four treatments was carried out. The treatments were as follows: 1) control non-salted meat; 2) non salted and hydrodynamic pressure treated; 3) salted (koshered) meat; 4) salted and hydrodynamic pressure treated meat. All the samples were analyzed at day 0 and after 14 days of storage at 2 deg C (aging) for normal microflora, color stability and odor. The results showed that hydrodynamic pressure was more effective in inhibiting the normal spoilage microflora than salt or the combination of salt with hydrodynamic pressure treatment. Color stability and odor were assessed subjectively by a panel and objectively using a Minolta meter. Panel observations, as well as the objective color measurements, showed a dramatic discoloration of the salted meat after 14 days. This discoloration was prevented by the hydrodynamic pressure treatment. Slight off-odor was perceptible only on the salted hydrodynamic pressure treated samples. It appears that the hydrodynamic pressure treatment has a real potential to diminish the undesirable effects of the koshering process of beef.

Technical Abstract: The koshering process involves soaking the meat for half an hour, then salting with a coarse salt and rinsing after an hour. According to kosher meat industry representatives, salted meat results in a rapid color change from red to brown during the vacuum aging process and sometimes an off-odor may be present. Salting meat in the koshering process was recently found to obe effective in reducing microbial flora. It is recognized that sodium chloride may accelerate muscle lipid peroxidation, thus salt has been reported to act as a pro-oxidant. The objective of the present study was to assess the quality of koshered meat as affected by the hydrodynamic pressure process. The treatments were as follows: 1) control - non-salted meat; 2) non-salted and hydrodynamic pressure treated; 3) salted (koshered) meat; 4) salted and hydrodynamic pressure treated meat. All the samples were analyzed at day 0 and after 14 days of storage at 2 deg C for normal microflora, color stability and odor. The results showed that hydrodynamic pressure was more effective in inhibiting the normal spoilage microflora than salt or the combination of salt with hydrodynamic pressure treatment. Color stability and odor were assessed subjectively by a panel and objectively using a Minolta meter. Panel observations, as well as the objective color measurements, showed a dramatic discoloration of the salted meat after 14 days. This discoloration was prevented using the hydrodynamic pressure treatment. Slight off-odor was perceptible only on the salted hydrodynamic pressure treated samples. It appears that the hydrodynamic pressure treatment has a real potential to diminish the undesirable effects of the koshering process of beef.