January 29/Food Weekly News -- "The study was aimed at optimizing the post package reheating (pasteurization) hurdle for processing shelf-stable pork sausages. The temperatures evaluated were 80, 90 and 100C," researchers in Bareilly, India, report.

"Reheating resulted in an increase in pH, which was slight at 80C while significant (P<0.05) at 90 and 100C. Moisture and fat contents decreased significantly while protein content increased significantly with increase in reheating temperature. Reheating of the sausages up to 90C significantly improved their hardness and shear force values. Reheating to 90 and 100C increased the redness (a-values) and decreased yellowness (b-values) of the sausages. Despite a lower initial value, the pH of the control sausages increased by 0.3 units on day three of storage, while that of reheated samples showed only a slight increase (0.04-0.05 units). About 10 times increase (0.05-0.50) in thiobarbituric acid reacting substances values observed for control sausages during three days storage at ambient temperature (37 +/- 1C) while the increase in reheated samples was significantly (P<0.01) lower. Total plate counts reached about 7 log cfu/g on day three of storage in control sausages, but it took about nine days and 12 days, respectively, for those reheated to 80 and 90C and 100C. Post-package reheating of pork sausages resulted in initial reduction in most of the sensory attributes but helped to maintain these attributes for longer time during storage at 37 +/- 1C and the sausages subjected to 90C maintained higher overall acceptability compared to other treatments throughout the storage period of 12 days," wrote R. Thomas and colleagues.

The researchers concluded, "Development of a meat product that could be stored at ambient temperature will save the expenses on refrigeration energy and cooler space requirement which is of importance in developing countries, where electricity is a major problem. Further, the successfully evolved process can be tried for developing different shelf-stable meat products with other meats."

Thomas and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Muscle Foods ("Effect of Post-package Reheating on the Quality of Hurdle Treated Pork Sausages at Ambient Temperature (37 +/- 1C) Storage." Journal of Muscle Foods, UNKNOWN DATE;21(1):31-50).

For additional information, contact A.S.R. Anjaneyulu, Indian Vet. Research Institute, Division Livestock Prod Technology, Bareilly 243122, Uttar Pradesh, India.

From the February 1, 2010, Prepared Foods E-dition