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Commercial use of high hydrostatic pressure in sliced cooked ham in Spain
Trends in High PressureBioscienceand Biotechnology R. Hayashi (editor) 9 2002 ElsevierScienceB.V. All rights reserved.
385
C o m m e r c i a l use of High Hydrostatic Pressure in Sliced C o o k e d Ham in Spain Narcis Grebol R&D Department, Esteban Espufia, S.A., Mestre Turina 39-41, 17800 Olot, Spain
Sliced Cooked Ham, produced by Esteban Espuna, pressurized at 400 MPa during 10 minutes, in a 320 litters industrial unit made by ACB, is commercialized in Spain since October 1998. Shelf life is extended to 60 days, with fresher flavor. Risks associated to pathogens are reduced significantly. Higher pressures (600 MPa) would be necessary to efficiently process fresh meats or meat products with low water activity.
1. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Product name Jam6n Cocido Reserva Especial Comercial category: Extra Sin Fosfatos Afiadidos (no polyphosphates added) Weight: 200 g - 5 slices per pack Ingredients: Ham, water, salt, dextrose, carrageen, sodium citrate, sodium ascorbate, spices and sodium nitrite. Humidity: 71.89 % Protein: 18.50 % Salt: 17.20 g/qK~g Water activity: 0.980 Best before: 60 days Vacuum Darfresh skin packaging, with polypropylene interleaver. Labeling: Product pasteurized by High Pressure. Keep between 0~ and 5~
2. HIGH HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
Made in France by ACB. Horizontal pressure vessel. Capacity: 320 litters. Vessel diameter: 280 mm (int.); 800 mm (ext.). Total length: 18.5 m (including automatic loading/unloading system). Total weight: 44 000 Kg. Maximum pressure: 400 MPa.
386
3. PRODUCTION CAPACITY 6 baskets per cycle. 20.8 Kg. sliced packed cooked ham per basket. 125 Kg. per cycle 500 Kg. per hour HHP Sliced Cooked Ham processed by January 2001:1 200 000 Kg.
4. HHP PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Target pressure: 400 MPa. Cycle time: 15 - 16 minutes (Figure 1). 30 sec. loading/unloading. 4 rain. pressurizing 10 rain. at 400 MPa. 1 min. depressurizing. Initial water temperature: + 8~ Water temperature at 400 MPa: + 13~ Final water temperature: + 9~
5. JUSTIFICATION OF THE USE OF HHP IN SLICED COOKED HAM 5.1. Lower risk of pathogens: Atter inoculation at 10E5 level and HHP 10 min. 400 MPa, we obtained:
Salmonella: absence in 25 g. Listeria monocytogenes: 3 log reduction. Staphylococcus aureus: less than 2 log reduction.
MPa
~
400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0
15 14 13 12 11 10 9
00:00
MPa
02:00
04:00
.
oC
I
i
i
i
I
06:00
08:00 mm:ss
10:00
12:00
14:00
8 7
Figure 1. HHP standard process for sliced Cooked Ham: pressure and temperature.
387
Lactic acid bacteria (log cfu/g) ~HHP
450 MPa-10'
....
UNTREATED
1 E+08 .~ 9
.
i
1 E+07 O
1E+06
I
O
J
8' 4'
1 E+05 -i
I
,e
J
,B
1E+04
i
1 E+03
"
.'" 9
,
_,qr_
*
. . . . . . . . .
G 4,,
1 E+02 ; 1 E+01 ' 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
shelf life
100
110
120
DAYS
Figure 2. Compared growth of LAB in HHP and untreated samples.
5.2. Fresher flavor.
l0 rain at 400 MPa in sliced cooked ham allows a significant reduction of population, activity and growth capacity of microorganisms producing unpleasant flavors in sliced cooked ham (lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts, etc.). That means higher consumer satisfaction and longer shelf life. Figure 2. Consumer tests show no differences on flavor, color, texture and taste between treated and untreated samples.
6. HHP COSTS. The main costs of using this technology are financial costs and maintenance costs. Using higher pressure, meaning shorter processing time and higher production capacity, financial costs will be reduced. Maintenance costs depend on the reliability of every component of the system, and they will tend to be lower in the future. Labor costs depend on the degree of automation, and energy costs are extremely low. Because of financial costs, present standard for HHP in most food products could be 600 MPa with short processing time, to combine effectiveness, processing capacity and reasonable cost.
388 7. TESTS WITH O T H E R MEAT PRODUCTS AT H I G H E R PRESSURES. 7.1. Dry cured ham.
Dry cured ham is a low water activity meat product with a microbial natural flora containing big numbers of Microccoccus and Staphylococcus, highly resistant to High Pressure Processing. But, using 600 MPa, preliminary tests suggest that HHP could be the right technology for effective cold pasteurization of dry cured meat products against pathogens. Consumer tests show no differences on flavor, color, texture and taste between treated and untreated samples if the dry cured ham has been previously aged more than six months. 7.2. Fresh or marinated meats.
Fresh meat free from pathogens has been produced also in experimental tests using HHP at 600 MPa. Raw meat changes in color and texture when exposed to high pressure, because of protein denaturation. In the case of raw beef meat, natural unprotected meat pigment changes to grey-brown color when pressurized, but if nitrite is present in the marinade, the pigment remains pink instead of the red color of raw beef meat.
8. CONCLUSIONS HHP 400 MPa, as an additional final processing step, is a suitable method to produce safer and fresher sliced meat products. A real field test of more than two years, with sliced cooked ham produced by Esteban Espuna in Spain, demonstrates that this technology is safe, efficient, and accepted by consumers. Higher-pressure systems are needed to optimize HHP in meat products with lower activity, to obtain higher pathogen reduction levels, and to minimize treatment costs.
385
C o m m e r c i a l use of High Hydrostatic Pressure in Sliced C o o k e d Ham in Spain Narcis Grebol R&D Department, Esteban Espufia, S.A., Mestre Turina 39-41, 17800 Olot, Spain
Sliced Cooked Ham, produced by Esteban Espuna, pressurized at 400 MPa during 10 minutes, in a 320 litters industrial unit made by ACB, is commercialized in Spain since October 1998. Shelf life is extended to 60 days, with fresher flavor. Risks associated to pathogens are reduced significantly. Higher pressures (600 MPa) would be necessary to efficiently process fresh meats or meat products with low water activity.
1. PRODUCT DESCRIPTION
Product name Jam6n Cocido Reserva Especial Comercial category: Extra Sin Fosfatos Afiadidos (no polyphosphates added) Weight: 200 g - 5 slices per pack Ingredients: Ham, water, salt, dextrose, carrageen, sodium citrate, sodium ascorbate, spices and sodium nitrite. Humidity: 71.89 % Protein: 18.50 % Salt: 17.20 g/qK~g Water activity: 0.980 Best before: 60 days Vacuum Darfresh skin packaging, with polypropylene interleaver. Labeling: Product pasteurized by High Pressure. Keep between 0~ and 5~
2. HIGH HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE SYSTEM DESCRIPTION
Made in France by ACB. Horizontal pressure vessel. Capacity: 320 litters. Vessel diameter: 280 mm (int.); 800 mm (ext.). Total length: 18.5 m (including automatic loading/unloading system). Total weight: 44 000 Kg. Maximum pressure: 400 MPa.
386
3. PRODUCTION CAPACITY 6 baskets per cycle. 20.8 Kg. sliced packed cooked ham per basket. 125 Kg. per cycle 500 Kg. per hour HHP Sliced Cooked Ham processed by January 2001:1 200 000 Kg.
4. HHP PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Target pressure: 400 MPa. Cycle time: 15 - 16 minutes (Figure 1). 30 sec. loading/unloading. 4 rain. pressurizing 10 rain. at 400 MPa. 1 min. depressurizing. Initial water temperature: + 8~ Water temperature at 400 MPa: + 13~ Final water temperature: + 9~
5. JUSTIFICATION OF THE USE OF HHP IN SLICED COOKED HAM 5.1. Lower risk of pathogens: Atter inoculation at 10E5 level and HHP 10 min. 400 MPa, we obtained:
Salmonella: absence in 25 g. Listeria monocytogenes: 3 log reduction. Staphylococcus aureus: less than 2 log reduction.
MPa
~
400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0
15 14 13 12 11 10 9
00:00
MPa
02:00
04:00
.
oC
I
i
i
i
I
06:00
08:00 mm:ss
10:00
12:00
14:00
8 7
Figure 1. HHP standard process for sliced Cooked Ham: pressure and temperature.
387
Lactic acid bacteria (log cfu/g) ~HHP
450 MPa-10'
....
UNTREATED
1 E+08 .~ 9
.
i
1 E+07 O
1E+06
I
O
J
8' 4'
1 E+05 -i
I
,e
J
,B
1E+04
i
1 E+03
"
.'" 9
,
_,qr_
*
. . . . . . . . .
G 4,,
1 E+02 ; 1 E+01 ' 0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
shelf life
100
110
120
DAYS
Figure 2. Compared growth of LAB in HHP and untreated samples.
5.2. Fresher flavor.
l0 rain at 400 MPa in sliced cooked ham allows a significant reduction of population, activity and growth capacity of microorganisms producing unpleasant flavors in sliced cooked ham (lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, yeasts, etc.). That means higher consumer satisfaction and longer shelf life. Figure 2. Consumer tests show no differences on flavor, color, texture and taste between treated and untreated samples.
6. HHP COSTS. The main costs of using this technology are financial costs and maintenance costs. Using higher pressure, meaning shorter processing time and higher production capacity, financial costs will be reduced. Maintenance costs depend on the reliability of every component of the system, and they will tend to be lower in the future. Labor costs depend on the degree of automation, and energy costs are extremely low. Because of financial costs, present standard for HHP in most food products could be 600 MPa with short processing time, to combine effectiveness, processing capacity and reasonable cost.
388 7. TESTS WITH O T H E R MEAT PRODUCTS AT H I G H E R PRESSURES. 7.1. Dry cured ham.
Dry cured ham is a low water activity meat product with a microbial natural flora containing big numbers of Microccoccus and Staphylococcus, highly resistant to High Pressure Processing. But, using 600 MPa, preliminary tests suggest that HHP could be the right technology for effective cold pasteurization of dry cured meat products against pathogens. Consumer tests show no differences on flavor, color, texture and taste between treated and untreated samples if the dry cured ham has been previously aged more than six months. 7.2. Fresh or marinated meats.
Fresh meat free from pathogens has been produced also in experimental tests using HHP at 600 MPa. Raw meat changes in color and texture when exposed to high pressure, because of protein denaturation. In the case of raw beef meat, natural unprotected meat pigment changes to grey-brown color when pressurized, but if nitrite is present in the marinade, the pigment remains pink instead of the red color of raw beef meat.
8. CONCLUSIONS HHP 400 MPa, as an additional final processing step, is a suitable method to produce safer and fresher sliced meat products. A real field test of more than two years, with sliced cooked ham produced by Esteban Espuna in Spain, demonstrates that this technology is safe, efficient, and accepted by consumers. Higher-pressure systems are needed to optimize HHP in meat products with lower activity, to obtain higher pathogen reduction levels, and to minimize treatment costs.