Author(s): SLONGO, A. P.; ROSENTHAL, A.; CAMARGO, L. M. Q.; DELIZA, R.; MATHIAS, S. P.; ARAGÃO, G. M. F. de

Summary: The main responsible for the spoilage of cooked cured meat products stored under refrigerated and anaerobic conditions are lactic acid bacteria. The application of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) reduces the lactic acid bacterial growth extending the product shelf-life and preserving natural taste, texture, color and vitamin content. This work studied the influence of pressure level and holding time on the lactic acid bacterial growth in vacuum-packaged sliced ham. Modified Gompertz and Logistic models were used to fit experimental data obtained from post-treatment microbial counts carried out along the product storage. Samples of sliced vacuum-packaged ham treated by HHP and control samples (non-treated) were stored at 8 °C until the microorganism population reached 107 CFU/g. An experimental planning 22 with triplicate at the central point was designed to determine the influence of pressure level (200, 300, and 400 MPa) and holding time (5, 10, and 15 min) on the product shelf-life. The results have shown that the pressure intensity and the holding time significantly influenced microbial population over the product storage. Shelf-life of ham treated at 400 MPa for 15 min was extended from 19 (control samples) to 85 days.

Publication year: 2009

Types of publication: Journal article

Unit: Embrapa Food Technology

Keywords: Alta pressão hidrostática, Bactéria ácido-láctica, Ham, High hydrostatic pressure, High pressure treatment, Lactic acid bacteria, Predictive microbiology, Presunto, Shelf life, Vida-de-prateleira