Adding value to meat products
By Paula Frank
Technical Editor, Food Product Design
Contents
Divine bovine
Love meat tender
This little piggy
Crying fowl
Grinding it down
Building in value
Establishing a link
Pump up the volume
Delivering the goods
Enhancing appeal
Charbroiled
Meat under wraps
As key lifestyle patterns show consumers relying more on convenience items,
food manufacturers react by offering value-added, timesaving products.
The meat industry is no exception — offering not only new products,
but new methods of enticing consumers to purchase and prepare various
cuts of meat. The vast array of meat products available include items
such as traditional fresh, raw cuts; new raw cuts in portion-sized shapes;
and further-processed meats. These further-processed items take the form
of pre-marinated and/or precooked meats, smoked sausage, luncheon or deli-type
meats, shredded meats in barbecue sauce or sliced meats in gravy that
merely require reheating, salad-ready precooked meat strips, breaded appetizer-sized
portions and pre-marinated meat on skewers, among many others.
Sometimes, simply a new cut or new product offers added value, but other times both textural and flavor systems factor into the equation. Textural systems not only improve yields, but also aid in emulsification and help control bite. Flavor systems enhance the meat's natural flavor and create menu diversity, a factor equally as important as convenience.
Divine bovine
Tony Mata, Ph.D., consultant for the National Cattlemen's
Beef Association (NCBA), Denver, and coordinator of the technical
activity of the new products' team, credits the "infusion of
culinary art" into food product design as a valuable contribution
to new product development. Food scientists are not always culinary masters,
thus successful new product introductions often occur by bringing the
food science and culinary art disciplines together.
Several new value-added products and concepts developed by the NCBA include the Rotiss-A-Roast™, a boneless beef filet, beef ham, veal bacon, a pre-marinated roast, fully cooked ground-beef crumbles and Cheeseburger Fries. While some of these products compete head-to-head with those that offer versatility and convenience in the poultry or pork markets, others save time-consuming preparation steps vs. traditional meals.
Choosing the cut for the Rotiss-A-Roast involved several criteria. The cut "had to fit into the environment of the world of rotisserie chicken," says Mata. Therefore, height dimension was key to ensuring an equivalent cook time to that of chicken. Muscle identification involved careful selection for tenderness and juiciness. "We identified one muscle from the round and two from the chuck which meet this criteria," he adds. "In terms of level of marinade, cook yield and amount of edible meat, rotisserie beef and chicken are quite similar." The meat is marinated at 15% to optimize quality. Once the beef is fully cooked, it may be held in a warmer not exceeding 140°F for up to two hours.
One of the drivers behind the development of the boneless beef filet was taking cuts that don't fit into today's busy lifestyle and making them easier to prepare, explains Susan Parenti, acting director, Beef and Veal Culinary Center, NCBA. Currently, many beef cuts are made up of several muscles. Different muscles have different cooking times and require different cooking methods. Separating individual muscles from the chuck (muscles typically used for pot roasts) and round provides the opportunity to derive steaks from these cuts. The boneless beef filet, marketed by No Name Steaks, is a "trimmed and portioned steak designed as an alternative to chicken breast, and for use as an ingredient as well as a center-of-the-plate item," says Jeff Johnson, marketing director of the St. Michael, MN-based company. "The challenge is utilizing all of the muscle and minimizing byproducts."
Cheeseburger Fries originated from the concept of converting the cheeseburger sandwich into a finger food that fits into an appetizer concept as well as a kid's menu item. "It became clear that key deliverables were cheese identity, cheese flavor, beef texture and beef flavor," notes Mata. The prototype consists of ground beef blended with high-melt cheese and spices, which is then battered and breaded, and fried before serving. Additional testing is being done in two areas: using precooked meat and methods of co-extruding the cheese in the center surrounded by meat.
Beef ham, made from chuck, could be offered in Canadian bacon-style or as deli ham, looks and tastes like pork-derived ham. Veal bacon, made from smoked veal breast, is leaner than pork bacon, yet has a light, delicate flavor that smokes well, notes Parenti.
The NCBA adds value not only through new product introductions, but through retail programs designed to make beef preparation more user-friendly to consumers. One such program, called "Beef Made Easy," helps retailers reorganize their shelves by cooking method. Packages carry preparation methods, making items more consumer-friendly, explains Parenti.
Both tenderizing and
hardening of meat occur with heat exposure. Heat causes protein denaturation,
followed by protein coagulation, indicating loss of solubility, which
reduces tenderness. Overcooking at high temperatures also toughens meat
by causing excessive moisture loss. On the other hand, as heat and moisture
are applied, collagen becomes more soluble, which increases tenderness.
Heating meat melts intramuscular fat — this may not only reduce moisture
loss, but it contributes to juiciness, and thus perceived palatability.
Dry-heat cooking works best for tender cuts of beef, such as steaks, chops, kabobs and some roasts.
These roasts derive from beef rib, short loin, sirloin and selected cuts
from the round, including the eye, tip and top. Since roasts originating
from the round are very lean, the NCBA recommends purchasing high-quality
branded beef, or Choice or Prime grades. As an alternative, eye round
roasts and round tip roasts may be cooked under moist heat, where the
meat is either braised or cooked in liquid. Chuck pot roasts, from the
arm, blade or shoulder muscles, require moist cooking to achieve tenderness.
"Pork cuts with high connective tissue are best when prepared with a moist method of cookery," notes Becca Hendricks, strategic marketing manager, National
Pork Producers Council (NPPC), Des Moines, IA. "Grilling, stir-frying
and other methods of dry-heat cooking are usually done on more tender
cuts of meat." For example, economical cuts from the shoulder and
leg often require braising or cooking in broth. Smaller cuts, such as
chops, tenderloin medallions, ham slices, ribs, pounded cutlets and ground
patties, may be sauted, pan-broiled, grilled or oven-broiled.
Oven roasting is appropriate for loin roasts, shoulder roasts, whole hams
and leg roasts.
Suppliers for meat processors strive to create value for their customers, just as meat processors
do for retail and foodservice operators. One of the goals of research
aimed at identifying meat tenderness involves improving efficiency at
the farm level. Relating computerized data back to live animals can better
control feeding. In addition, "30% of the variation in beef ribeye
can be ascribed to heredity, which may involve expression of many genes,"
says Koohmaraie. Eventually, scientists hope to use genetics to identify
gene combinations indicative of meat tenderness.
Versatility offers both economic value and convenience to users of pork. The loin, for instance,
provides a variety of menu options. These include chops; tenderloin; roasts;
cutlets; strips; cubes; country-style ribs, the meatiest type of pork
ribs; and back ribs, otherwise known as Canadian back or baby back ribs.
The ham, or pork leg, also provides a variety of fresh or cured and smoked cuts. The inside,
or top muscle, found in applications such as roasts, cutlets, kebobs and
strips, is the most tender cut. Roasts, ham strips and cubes come from
the outside, or bottom muscle, which is an economical cut, although as
a boneless cut, the tip or knuckle is even more economically priced. This
cut, often cubed for braising or used in soups, is formed from a darker
muscle.
Pork shoulder offers versatility in a variety of cuts, including both bone-in and boneless
picnic, as well as Boston butt. The boneless picnic, for instance, lends
itself to shredding, grinding, cubing and slicing once all bones, cartilage
and skin are removed. Shoulder hocks, the portion remaining once the butt
and picnic are removed, add flavor to soups and stocks.
Enhanced pork, an industry term referring to pumped pork products, delivers diversity beyond
the array of raw pork cuts available. Marinated cuts are pumped with ingredients
that add flavor, while basting refers to those cuts pumped with ingredients
offering functionality other than flavor, explains Hendricks.
Boneless, skinless chicken breasts have popular appeal among health-conscious consumers and
are a versatile item for recipe applications. The demand for dark meat
derived from chicken legs is also on the rise. Skinless, boneless thigh
meat may be used in applications similar to that of breast meat. Legs
are typically priced lower than breast meat, which adds economic value
to this option.
Pre-cooked chicken breast strips or dices are available for use directly from refrigerator
to salads or other cold entrées – some seasoned Italian- or
Southwestern-style, or perhaps roasted. A variety of frozen, breaded boneless
products exist, such as filets, patties, tenders or chunks. These products
require minimal preparation and are ideal for children and adults alike.
For more gourmet tastes, stuffed chicken filets are an option, such as
Cordon Bleu or chicken Kiev. Roasted heat-and-serve cuts in breasts, drumsticks,
thighs, half-birds and wings are also convenient.
Lean/fat ratios of ground beef vary depending on operator preference. "The average ground
beef is approximately 80/20, but more operations are offering leaner grinds
at a higher cost to the consumer," says Beth Timmins, executive vice
president, Visionary Design, Atglen, PA. However, certain establishments
tend towards higher-fat ratios so that product will be moist after being
held in a warming unit prior to serving. For instance, ground beef for
fast-food operations averages 23% to 24% fat.
Salt at a concentration of about 6.0% solubilizes the protein myosin. Since most finished processed
meat products have a salt concentration of 2.5% or less, processors first
mix the salt with a portion of the meat to achieve a 6.0% concentration
to allow the salt/protein reaction to occur. The extracted myosin functions
as a natural binder in the processed meat product.
Building in value
Meat restructuring adds value in several ways. It not only provides portion control, but
also transforms low-value carcass trimmings. This technology enables processors
to choose specific portions for forming, while eliminating unwanted connective
tissue and fat, notes Hendricks.
Restructuring is advantageous for a variety of meats, particularly pork and poultry; however, its use
for beef products is typically limited to fully cooked products used in
sandwich applications, because it tends to give finished products a rubbery
texture, notes Mata.
Establishing a link
Phosphates also solubilize myosin, and have a synergistic effect with salt. Phosphates enable water
to bind to the charged groups on the protein by disassociating bonds between
actin and myosin filaments. Meats containing phosphates tend to be juicier
and have less purge during cooking. Legally, phosphates must not exceed
0.5% in finished product.
Even after adding phosphates and salt, a product might require additional water to be bound.
Here an ingredient such as starch becomes effective. "When protein
denatures as the product is cooked, the starch will still hold onto the
water," says Michelle Schwenk, food scientist, A.E.
Staley Manufacturing Co, part of the Tate and Lyle Group, Decatur,
IL. The choice of starch depends on several factors, such as the meat's
species, whether the product will be sliced thin and whether or not the
starch needs to function in raw or cooked meat.
Potato starch is generally suitable for whole-muscle and poultry products, says Schwenk. "Potato
starches start binding water at a lower temperature than the dent or corn
starches do, so you're going to use potato starches when you're
not going to have as high of a cooking temperature. The potato works nicely
with poultry because it has a very clean flavor. A lot of poultry is sold
whole muscle, and the potato starch, with its large granules, exerts an
internal pressure that keep the muscle fibers together."
According to Schwenk, dent corn starch is suitable for meats that require firmness for slicing,
because the amylose firms upon gelatinization. For meats requiring high
water-binding capacity, such as bologna or hot dogs, she recommends a
highly substituted waxy-maize starch. A small amount of cook-up starch
may be used in uncooked marinated products, but must also be combined
or replaced with an instant starch that doesn't require heat for
gelatinization. An instant starch with a slow hydration rate works best
in this type of application. "You mix it into the brine and then
vacuum tumble or inject it into the meat and over an hour's time
it hydrates so that it's not developing any viscosity while it's
being applied," says Schwenk. "The starch binds water as it
slowly hydrates."
Marinated meats contain between 20% and 30% added water, says Schwenk. The amount of marinade
added should be equivalent to the percent pickup of the marinated meat;
otherwise, a lot of brine will be wasted.
Select gums, such as carrageenan, sodium alginate, pectin, methylcellulose (MC) and carboxymethylcellulose
(CMC), have functional binding properties in meats. These hydrocolloids
form gels that impact both texture and mouthfeel. Each gum functions under
a unique set of circumstances. For instance, sodium alginate gels in the
presence of calcium ions.
Carrageenan is both hot- and cold-water soluble and forms gels in a variety of strengths and
textures. Each carrageenan structure, be it kappa, iota or lambda, functions
differently under certain conditions. Kappa carrageenan gels most strongly
with potassium ions, and iota carrageenan with calcium ions. As another
example, iota exhibits freeze/thaw stability, while the other two structures
do not. As a result, gum suppliers are able to combine functional properties
that suit particular applications. Gelatin also binds water and improves
a meat's slicing performance by forming a uniform gel upon cooling.
Pump up the volume
Soy protein may be added to meat products in the form of isolates, concentrates, flour (or
grits) or textured. Soy protein helps water absorption and binding, gelation,
emulsification and fat absorption. Although soy protein is used more frequently
in comminuted products, it may also be incorporated into the brine solution
for whole-muscle meats. Textured soy protein may replace as much as 20%
to 25% of ground meat in patties, which adds both to the nutritional appeal,
as well as the economical value of the product.
Blood plasma is an effective binding agent that forms a strong gel in restructured meats.
It may also be used in comminuted meats for its emulsifying properties.
Enzymes, such as transglutaminase, also help bind restructured meat products.
This enzyme crosslinks proteins to form a covalent bond. Use of this enzyme
impacts texture and bite, and holds much potential for operators requiring
consistently portioned meats made from restructured pieces that minimize
waste.
Meat processors have experimented with adding fruits to enhance texture of processed meats.
One product with extensive testing in this area is dried plum puree. The
functional components are fiber and sorbitol. The fiber (around 7.5% by
weight of dried plums) absorbs moisture, while sorbitol (about 15%) helps
bind the water in the meat product. Added levels of 3% to 5% dried plum
puree to meat products results in a juicier mouthfeel and extended shelf
life with no discernable change in the flavor of the meat. While most
work has be done in comminuted products such as hamburgers, hot dogs,
sausage and pizza toppings, dried plum puree has potential as an ingredient
for injected marinades.
The raisin is another ingredient that offers a textural advantage to meats and sausages. "Raisins
are about 18% moisture, and absorb up to an additional 10% moisture," notes Thomas J. Payne, principal, Thomas J. Payne Market Development and
consultant to the California Raisin Marketing Board (CRMB), Fresno, CA.
"This moisture is slowly released during the cooking process. In
addition, raisins have a chewy texture, which can be integrated into meats
and sausages. For instance, in Finland, the main use for raisins is a
processed liver paté, and French and Belgian sausage makers integrate
raisins into their products."
Delivering the goods
Marinades may contain
antimicrobial ingredients, such as sodium lactate, in addition to the
other functional ingredients added, such as buffers, binders or emulsifiers.
These antimicrobials, which help extend shelf life, include sodium lactate,
potassium lactate and sodium diacetate.
Flavors and functional ingredients are also delivered to meat products in glazes, sauces, rubs
and/or breadings. "Many times, flavors are used in complementary
systems. For instance, a glaze may complement a marinade, or a rub with
added visual appeal may blend well with a marinade that delivers flavor,"
explains Diez de Medina.
Adding flavors, seasonings and/or a flavor system to meat often enhances its appeal. "One of
the main benefits of using flavors is that they can replace characteristics
lost during processing or cooking, or they can mimic certain notes created
during specific processes, for example, grilling, smoking, roasting, etc.,"
says Diez de Medina. "Flavors add value to meat products by allowing
the creation of consistent, more complex profiles in a meat product, and
do so in an economic and efficient manner."
Enhancing appeal
Meat-first food bases contain a high percentage of freshly cooked meat, in addition to meat
juices and fat, and therefore require refrigerated storage. "Meat-first
bases provide consistent, authentic meat flavor to finished products,"
says Bill Hahne, corporate executive chef, Eatem Foods, and president
of the Research Chefs Association.
In fact, meat bases are in and of themselves value-added meat products. "These bases
cut back or entirely eliminate the need for raw meat as a source for real
meat flavor in certain applications," notes Gervato. In addition,
they save on raw meat processing and handling, and help eliminate waste.
Meat bases not only add real meat flavor to sauces, demi-glace and gravy
applications, but also eliminate time-consuming cooking procedures involved
in making meat stocks traditionally used as a base material in the preparation
of these products, adds Hahne.
Flavor systems often benefit from the use of flavor enhancers, such as monosodium glutamate
(MSG), hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), disodium inosinate and disodium
guanylate (I+g) or 5'nucleotides and autolyzed yeast extract (AYE). Enhancers
highlight and round flavor nuances and contribute to an umami effect.
Ingredients such as these work particularly well in savory applications.
"The organic acids of raisins also enhance flavors and help impart
a more intense spice note," says Payne. The raisins' mild flavor
and sweetness complement the salty, savory notes found in many meat applications.
Charbroiled
Red Arrow manufactures liquid smoke products in one of two ways: using either an older process
called the Calciner method, or by using a newer technology called the
rapid thermal pyrolysis, or RTP. "The RTP process is faster and involves
higher temperatures," says Emmerson. "Fifteen years ago, everybody
perceived liquid smoke as very bitter and harsh, but the products generated
from the process used today tend to be mellower and more closely match
vaporous smoke."
Product developers can choose from many different varieties of smoke. Smoke derived from
hickory and the mixed hardwoods are very similar. Emmerson describes mesquite
as having more of an "earthy" flavor.
Strength may be controlled in several ways, either at the application level or by product choice
itself. "By using a more refined smoke, such as those generated by
RTP, also referred to as the second-generation smoke, you get a product
that is smoother or mellower. Some producers want ashiness in their smoke,
which is associated with a more traditional flavor profile," notes
Emmerson. "Producers can also vary their usage levels or smoking
times if they're doing atomization. With drenching, contact time
and solution strength can also be controlled."
"Sometimes harshness is partially due to the acidity normally associated with liquid smoke.
Smoke oil, which does not contain any of the acids, may be an alternative
to someone looking for less harshness," says Ray Nemunaitis, vice
president, sales and marketing, Hickory Specialties Inc., Brentwood, TN. "You may have a pH-adjusted
smoke that's used in certain applications to get around the harshness
or the acidity. Plus, the phenolic load can be adjusted to deliver the
desired product," adds Pat Moeller, vice president, R&D, Hickory
Specialties.
Color formation occurs because of surface dehydration and the carbonyls' reaction with meat's
surface protein. This reaction is driven by heat and is similar to the
Maillard reaction. Dry heat actually sets the color, but at some point
during the process, humidity must be factored in, otherwise yields will
be compromised as moisture loss occurs, explains Emmerson. Color formation
is often important for products that are going to be microwaved or reheated,
such as cook-in-bag products or pork ribs that require a nice brown color
for eye-appeal, notes Nemunaitis.
Meat under wraps
Traditional vacuum packaging used film that wrapped around a product. Modern technology uses
thermoform film, structured so that it can be heated and drawn into a
pocket. The film is composed of a layer of nylon and a couple layers of
polyethylene (PE). A layer of ethylene vinyl alcohol serves as an oxygen
barrier. Finally, a layer of PE functions as a sealing agent. "The
film is heated to a molten state and drawn down by pressure or vacuum
into a pocket that is essentially the shape of the product," explains
Lundquist. "There is some shrink-back after the package is formed.
Once the product is filled, it goes into a vacuum chamber, where a vacuum
is drawn around the outside, as well as the inside of the package. Air
is then completely evacuated."
Although the film thins out substantially as its drawn into a vacuum, it still maintains
its strength while providing excellent moisture- and oxyge- barrier properties.
For instance, a 1-lb. hot dog package can draw down from 0.004 in. to
between 0.0004-in. and 0.0006-in. thickness without compromising packaging
integrity, notes Lundquist. Vacuum-packages of fresh meat are commonly
frozen in a non-oxygen barrier film to help maintain the color of the
product.
Modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) inhibits or slows bacterial growth by incorporating nitrogen
and occasionally carbon dioxide into the package. Most of the time, MAP
is used for fragile products, because vacuum packaging could crush the
product or cause pieces to stick together, notes Lundquist. For instance,
MAP is used for breaded products, because vacuum packaging compacts the
breading, making it tough. Both vacuum and MAP packaging help extend a
product's shelf life by limiting oxygen exposure. Oxygen absorbers
can help reduce residual oxygen left from MAP packaging. An oxygen absorber
may consist of an iron product in a packet or as a label or liner used
inside a product's lid leaving nothing loose in the package's
interior.
Freezer burn occurs when moisture evaporates off the surface of a frozen product causing dehydration.
As a result, the product also becomes susceptible to oxidative rancidity.
Lundquist recommends vacuum packaging when freezing meats, because this
process leaves the film in intimate contact with the meat's surface,
which helps prevent freezer burn. Although aluminum foil is a good oxygen
barrier, close contact with the meat's surface isn't always
possible. Thus, freezer burn can occur with foil-wrapped packages.
Regardless of the method used in adding value to meat products, one of the biggest challenges
the food industry faces is convincing the consumer that quality hasn't
been compromised for convenience. "How do you win over consumers
who feel that meat requires slow cooking with savory vegetables, or a
long marinating time with just the right seasonings in order to be tender,
juicy and well-seasoned?" asks Lori Miller, R.D., L.D., director
of market development for Eatem Foods. This, perhaps, is a question meat
product developers ought to consider as they face technical challenges
involved in maintaining a meat's texture, juiciness and flavor.
• Photo: Innova, a Griffith Laboratories Company
© by Weeks Publishing Company
Used with permission from Food Product Design Magazine
Weeks Publishing Company
Love meat tender
Meat tenderness is associated with the degree of quality. While certain cuts
are prone towards tenderness based on their muscle source, others achieve
tenderness through proper cooking technique and/or marinating prior to
cooking. The meat industry adds value to its product by educating customers
on proper handling techniques and recommending cooking procedures that
ensure optimum quality.
This little piggy
"There
are many new value-added products in the pork industry, with most focusing
on increasing quality and optimizing convenience," notes Hendricks.
"NPPC focuses on facilitating development of new uses and ideas for
pork products that provide solutions for retailers and foodservice operators.
Research has shown that consumers are interested in convenient products.
Several ready-to-eat or precooked items, such as precooked bacon, and
heat-and-eat roasts and chops are very popular. In the foodservice industry,
many suppliers are providing operators with more convenient items also,
including pre-marinated and ready-to-eat products."
Crying fowl
Poultry processors offer a whole range of value-added convenient products to their
customers. Both chicken and turkey are available as whole birds or in
multiple cuts and pack sizes. Fresh chicken cuts include whole birds cut
into breast, thigh, drumstick and wing pieces; breast quarters; halves
or splits; wings; drumsticks; drummettes, made from the meatier portion
of wing; leg quarters and thighs. Fresh turkey is cut into breast portions,
legs, drumsticks and wings. Both chicken and turkey meat can be ground
or made into nuggets, cutlets, tenders or sausage.
Grinding it down
Many applications exist for ground meat, from burgers and sausage to specialty-type
meats, such as gyros. Processed meats such as these contain ingredients
that contribute flavor and textural properties; however, any meat labeled
purely ground beef, pork, chicken, etc., does not have added ingredients,
and is merely meat and fat.
"There are several factors influencing the quality of a pre-formed meat product," notes
Dafne Diez de Medina, Ph.D., group leader, meat applications, Innova,
a Griffith Laboratories Company, Oak Brook, IL. "Texture and bite
will mainly be determined by the type and quality of meat used, grinding
parameters and the use of binders. Some meats are softer than others.
The greater the amount of emulsion used, if any, the softer the bite compared
to a coarser grind or whole muscle, which is firmer." Restructured
meat made with trimmings or whole muscle uses the same chemical-binding
principle as ground processed meats. "Through processing, chopping,
tumbling or massage, one can free some of the proteins bound in the muscle,
allowing for the formation of a binding system," explains Diez de
Medina. "When a binder (i.e., starch, soy protein, carrageenan, etc.)
is added into that system, the bond becomes stronger and will have different
characteristics depending on the substance and process used. Consistency
in size and density is obtained by forming the meat product in some kind
of mold, be it a forming plate, or a template that provides a desired
shape."
In processed meats, phosphates act as a buffer and shift the pH of the brining solution towards
alkalinity. This pH shift creates more water-holding capacity as the number
of charged groups on proteins increase. Meats with a pH range of 5.8 to
5.9 have greater affinity for water, and produce higher yields. Dryer
products typically have a pH ranging from 5.5 to 5.6. Brine pH also influences
cured-meat color by affecting nitrite stability, which is a critical component
of the color-forming reaction. Nitrite is stable in brine as long as the
pH remains above 7.0. When nitrite is unstable, it turns to nitric oxide,
which will flash off prior to brine injection.
Less-traditional ingredients, such as soy and dairy proteins, provide water binding in meats. Levels
of dairy proteins and isolated soy protein in products labeled as meat
must not exceed 3.5% and 2.0% respectively by weight of finished product.
Nonfat dry milk and whey protein concentrate form gels in the meat's
protein matrix, adding to structural stability. In addition, these ingredients
provide stability to emulsions.
Marinating is one
method used for delivering flavor and functional ingredients to meat.
Basically, a marinade is a liquid seasoning, applied either through injection;
as a static marinade; or "as a tumble marinade, preferably under
vacuum to facilitate penetration of the delivery system into the meat
and at the same time promote water and ingredient binding into the protein
system," explains Diez de Medina. "The main consideration in
choosing a system depends on the equipment available, the type of product
(i.e., bone-in, whole chicken, filet) and the final characteristics desired."
Flavors come in several
forms, including dry powders, liquids and pastes. Certain flavors, called
bases, are made into a paste or a dry form. Dry powdered bases remain
stable at room-temperature dry storage. "Shelf-stable bases are available
in paste form that have salt as the first ingredient and contain a low-moisture,
premium condensed meat broth, which inhibits bacterial growth," says
Frank Gervato, president and chief technical officer, Eatem
Foods, Vineland, NJ. "These bases should be refrigerated after
opening and exposure to airborne bacteria."
Smoke is used to impart
nuances of various cooking techniques, be it grilling, roasting or rotisserie
cooking. Smoke can change texture by cross-linking proteins at the meats'
surface, contributing to skin formation. Color changes can also occur.
"The three main components of smoke are acid; phenolics, which is
where most of your flavor comes from; and carbonyls, which give you the
color," notes Ed Emmerson, technical service field representative,
Red Arrow Products, Co., Manitowoc,
WI.
Packaging not only provides meat with a protective environment, but can be an attractive
and convenient means of storage. "Vacuum packaging, for over 50 years
now, has been a primary tool for maintaining the natural quality of the
product," says Burton Lundquist, packaging consultant for the NCBA
and former director of packaging for Armour Food Company, Omaha, NE. "The
big thing that has changed is the way suppliers have made film. They continually
improve the performance of the film (i.e., the moisture barrier, the oxygen
barrier and machinability)."
• Photo: National Cattlemen's Beef Association
• Photo: Kronos
• Photo: Peer Foods
3400 Dundee Rd. Suite #100
Northbrook, IL 60062
Phone: 847-559-0385
Fax: 847-559-0389