Effect of ill-bled meat on the anti-bacterial action of sodium nitrite in sausage paste

ABSTRACT

The influence of ill-bled meat or added blood-meat on the preservative action of sodium nitrite in sausage paste was essayed. The total iron content of untreated beef meat, meat containing 4% and 6% added blood was 2.7, 6.1, and 7.2 mg/100 g, respectively. The total bacterial counts of meat containing the following additions None [control], 4% added blood, 6% added blood, 300 ppm nitrite, 300 ppm nitrite plus 4% added blood, and 300 ppm nitrite plus 6% added blood increased from nearly 7 log10 to 15, 15.9, 16.2, 8.1, 12.1 and 12.9 log10, respectively, after 10 days refrigeration. The results point out that the samples of added blood [ill-bled meat] contained more iron content, thus, showed higher TPC than those of untreated [well-bled meat] in despite of presence of the same quantity of sodium nitrite. The assumption of iron interference in the antibacterial action of the nitrite has been considered