Masters Theses

Date of Award

8-1986

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Food Science and Technology

Major Professor

Frances A. Draughon

Committee Members

C.C. Melton, J.R. Mount

Abstract

In recent years there has been a trend to reduce the amount of salt and nitrate/nitrite used to produce country cured hams to yield a more moist and mild product. It was thought that this practice has caused problems in maintaining ambient temperature shelf life of vacuum packaged country ham slices. Twelve country hams were collected from a Tennessee country ham producer at a plant experiencing chronic problems in maintaining shelf life of vacuum pack aged country ham slices. Hams collected were in the range of 3.78 to 6.04% (mean) salt. Six center cut slices were cut from each ham and vacuum packaged at the plant site using the exact manner used for hams going to retail sales. Slices were transported to the University of Tennessee laboratories where they were incubated at 28°C for 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 weeks. Chemical and microbiological test were preformed on the ham slices to determine of there was a relationship between spoilage characteristics and the level of preservatives present.

Chemical analysis revealed that the preservatives levels present at the range examined would not prevent spoilage of product. Microbial loads of hams were high initially and increased rapidly in the first week. It was found that hams above 4.5% salt content did not show spoilage characteristics such as distention of package and strong odors until after the second week of incubation. Hams having less than 4.5% salt, began to have off-odors and swelling of packages within one week. Nitrate had the greatest decrease in levels between day 1 and week 1, with a subsequent increase during the second to sixth week storage periods. One reason for this may be that there was generally a decrease in moisture content over the storage period, thus reducing the weight of the sample and concentrating nitrate. Concurrently as nitrate decreased, nitrite increased. This was possibly due to the reduction of nitrate to nitrite by bacteria present in the ham. Ambient temperature storage of ham slices having less than 4.5% salt will not give a satisfactory product for more than one week.

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