554 Chapter 31
processing to make sure that the water activ-
ity is below 0.95. Sausages and hams, as well
as uncured/unsalted meat, may also be
cooked in hermetically sealed containers. For
such meats, the integrity of the containers
(seams, seals), the heat treatment (F value,
pressure), and the cooling conditions (cooling
rates, water quality) must be precisely con-
trolled. With shelf - stable canned cured meats,
the formulation is also important to ascertain
the correct combination between water activ-
ity, pH, curing agents, and heat treatment.
It must also be considered that products
heated in hermetically sealed containers are
often stored under insuffi cient refrigeration.
Therefore, the need for chill storage should
be indicated very clearly on the label, and the
product should be suffi ciently stable during
temperature abuse.Fermented Sausages
Critical values for the manufacture of fer-
mented sausages have been summarized by
L ü cke (2007) , and details on quality control
and HACCP systems for these products have
been published by Fraqueza et al. (2007) and
Toldr á et al. (2007). Table 31.7 gives an
example for a product common in Germany.Retail Cuts, Minced Meat, and
Ready - to - Cook Fresh Meats
There is a growing market for “ convenience ”
meat preparations, which not only include
minced meat but also meats pretreated with
spices and marinades in order to supply an
oven - ready product to both caterers and
private households. For quality assurance,
however, it is important to note that any
mechanical treatment is likely to transfer
microorganisms from the surface into the
interior, and that spices and marinades have
little if any effect on the shelf life of the meat.
Instead, they are likely to mask microbial
spoilage, fat deterioration, and the intrinsic
properties of the raw material. Moreover, in
some countries, minced meat may be eaten
without prior heating (as in Germany) or as
“ rare - cooked ” hamburgers (as in the United
States, despite all efforts to discourage this
practice). Taken together, this means that the
selection of suppliers, the choice and checks
of raw material, the basic hygiene during
preparation and handling, the maintenance of
the cold chain (below 4 ° C, for minced meat
below 2 ° C) and labeling giving clear “ con-
sume - by ” dates, and storage and cooking
instructions are the essential elements of
quality assurance.
Heat - Processed Meat Products
Some critical values for the manufacture of
cooked ham and shoulder, and of heat - pro-
cessed sausages and p â t é s are given in Tables
31.5 and 31.6 , respectively. Most products
are fi lled into casings and molds, heated to
core temperatures between 68 ° and 80 ° C,
and subsequently handled and sliced. Hence,
their shelf life is limited to a few weeks under
refrigeration, and they are usually spoiled by
recontaminant bacteria. For products with
extended shelf life, even at ambient tempera-
tures, additional factors are important. For
cooked dried sausages, these include formu-
lation (water, fat, salt) and water loss during
Table 31.5. Examples for critical values for the
manufacture of cooked ham and shoulder
(L ü cke and Troeger 2007 ; M ü ller 2007 )
Process step Critical values
Raw material pH below 6.2; temperature
below 7 ° C
Brine injection
and mechanical
treatment- Brine concentration adjusted
to reach target water activity
and nitrite content - Temperature during brine
injection below 12 ° C - Temperature in curing room
and during mechanical
treatment: below 5 ° C
Heat treatment Core temperature above 68 ° C
and/or F 70 above 30 (z = 10)
Storage below 5 ° C