Quality and staling characteristics of white bread fortified with lysozyme-hydrolyzed mealworm powder (Tenebrio molitor L.).

Edible insects have a low environmental impact but are rich in nutrients and have been promoted as alternative protein sources. However, adding insect flour to bread negatively affects the overall quality, especially loaf volume and textural properties. Furthermore, relevant studies on chitin are limited. Therefore, this study examined chitin hydrolysis using lysozymes to enhance the quality characteristics in defatted mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) powder (DF-M)-supplemented bread. The chitin hydrolysis degree by lysozymes was evaluated using the 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid assay and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The amount of chitin oligomers increased with time, and no significant difference in the hydrolysis efficiency between water and 400 mM acetate buffer was observed. Enzymatic hydrolysis improved the DF-M water- and oil-binding and antioxidant capacities. In addition, chitin hydrolysis increased the volume and softened the texture of white bread. In particular, bread supplemented with DF-M hydrolyzed for 4 h at 10 % had the highest moisture content among the mealworm-added bread groups during storage for 5 days. Moreover, sensory evaluation showed a positive effect of chitin hydrolysis on acceptability. Our findings indicate that chitin hydrolysis can improve the quality of bread containing insect additives. In conclusion, this study provides novel insights into producing high-quality and functional bakery products from edible insects by the enzymatic hydrolysis of edible insect powders and could expand the applications of edible insects as food ingredients.

Effects of Natural Extract Mixtures on the Quality Characteristics of Sausages during Refrigerated Storage.

Owing to the residual toxicity and adverse health effects of chemical preservatives, there is an increasing demand for using natural preservatives in food. Although many natural extracts have been evaluated, research on their antibacterial effects remains insufficient. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the possibility of developing Psidium guajava, Ecklonia cava, and Paeonia japonica (Makino) Miyabe & Takeda extracts as natural food preservatives. Further, the effect of mixing these extracts on microbial growth and quality was evaluated during the refrigeration of sausages. Optimal mixing ratios were determined based on the minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations of each mixed extract against the Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli. D-optimal mixing design optimization tool was further used to obtain an optimum mixing ratio of Formulation 1 (F1). The antibacterial activity of F1 increased with increasing concentration, with similar activities at 0.5% and 1%. The sausages with synthetic or natural preservatives showed significantly lower lipid oxidation than those of the control and grapefruit extract-treated sausages after 4 wk of refrigeration. Total plate counts were observed only in the control and treatment groups stored for 3 wk, and no significant effect of ascorbic acid was observed. Compared to the other samples, sausages with added natural extracts showed the highest overall acceptability scores initially and after 4 wk. Therefore, similar amounts of grapefruit seed and natural extracts had the same effect on microbiological analysis and lipid rancidity during sausage storage. Hence, this mixture can serve as a potential natural preservative in meat products.

Inhibitory effect of natural extract mixtures on microbial growth and lipid oxidation of sausages during storage.

Large amounts of additives are used during meat product processing to maintain product quality and shelf life. With the growing interest in healthy foods, natural plant-based additives are being used as alternatives to synthetic additives. In this study, six types of natural extracts with excellent antibacterial activity were selected, and their antibacterial and antioxidant activities against four types of pathogens were evaluated in various combinations. In addition, the pH, color, amount of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and growth of pathogenic microorganisms were analyzed during the storage of sausages treated with various combinations of these extracts. The natural extract mixtures exhibited different antibacterial activities, depending on the combination. Compared to grapefruit seed extract, a mixture of natural extracts extracted with ethanol (M4) reduced the Escherichia coli content by more than 99.9% after 8 days of storage and slowed the growth of Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella spp. by more than 80% after 14 days. Compared to untreated (NC) and grapefruit extract (PC)-treated sausages, sausages treated with the natural extract mixtures showed a significant decrease in CIE L* and an increase in CIE a* and CIE b* (p < 0.05). The pH value was significantly lower in sausages containing natural extract mixtures than in the NC and PC sausages (p < 0.05). The natural plant extract mixtures significantly prevented lipid oxidation (p < 0.05). In summary, different types of natural extract mixtures have a synergistic effect when used together, suggesting that natural preservatives can generally inhibit the growth of microorganisms and oxidation of processed meat.

Characterization of Lactic Acid Bacteria and Yeast from Grains as Starter Cultures for Gluten-Free Sourdough.

With the increasing number of people affected by gluten consumption-related diseases, adhering to a gluten-free (GF) diet is the most effective preventive measure. Herein, we aimed to isolate and characterize the functional properties of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and yeast from various GF sourdoughs to determine their suitability in starter cultures for sourdough preparation. Three LAB, Weissella confusa BAQ2, Lactobacillus brevis AQ2, Leuconostoc citreum YC2, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae BW1, were identified. The isolated LAB exhibited greater TTA, faster acidification rates, and higher acid tolerance than commercial LAB. W. confusa BAQ2 exhibited the highest EPS production, W. confusa BAQ2 and L. brevis AQ2 showed high maltose utilization, and S. cerevisiae BW1 exhibited the highest CO2 production rate. Accordingly, all four microbial strains were mixed for the starter culture. The sourdough prepared with starter cultures exhibited differences in gas production depending on fermentation time, which influenced the volume of GF bread dough. GF bread prepared with fermented sourdough exhibited a 16% higher specific volume and enhanced crumb firmness and elasticity than that prepared using non-fermented sourdough. Thus, autochthonous LAB strains isolated from various GF sourdoughs can be used together to improve the quality of sourdough bread, demonstrating their potential for use in starter cultures for GF sourdough production.

Changes in physicochemical properties of rice flour by fermentation with koji and its potential use in gluten-free noodles.

To use rice flour as an ingredient in gluten-free noodles, improved texture properties such as increased hardness and reduced adhesiveness are required. We investigated the physicochemical characteristics of rice flour obtained by fermenting japonica rice with koji, determined the pasting and textural properties of the resulting gel, and suggested a method for producing gluten-free noodles. Koji-fermented rice flour was obtained by fermenting rice grains for 24 and 48 h. Koji fermentation reduced the protein and ash content of the rice and lowered the pH. The change in amylose content was not significant, but the short-to-long-chain ratio of amylopectin increased. Changes in the structural and compositional characteristics facilitated swelling of the rice flour and starch leaching. Variations in the gelatinization and hydration properties of the rice flour increased its peak viscosity and gel hardness, and reduced its gel adhesiveness. Noodles made from koji-fermented rice flour have improved physical features, such as modified textural properties resulting from a gel texture and increased whiteness, indicating that koji-fermented rice flour is a desirable noodle ingredient for gluten-free foods.

Natural Extracts as Inhibitors of Microorganisms and Lipid Oxidation in Emulsion Sausage during Storage.

Food additives are required to maintain the freshness and quality of foods, particularly meats. However, chemical additives may not be preferred by consumers, and natural materials with antimicrobial and antioxidant effects may be used as replacements for common chemical additives. Accordingly, in this study, we compared the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of natural compounds extracted with ethanol and hot water, and emulsion sausage prepared with natural ethanol extracts was analyzed for pH, color, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and Clostridium perfringens growth during storage. The antimicrobial activities of 49 natural extract candidates against Listeria monocytogenes, C. perfringens, Salmonella spp., and Escherichia coli were analyzed, and six natural materials with excellent antibacterial activities, i.e., Elaeagnus umbellata Thunb. f. nakaiana (Araki) H. Ohba, Punica granatum L., Ecklonia cava, Nelumbo nucifera Gaertner, and Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill., and Rubus coreanus Miq. were evaluated to determine their total polyphenol contents and DPPH radical scavenging activities. The total polyphenol contents of ethanol extracts were higher than those of hot water extracts, whereas DPPH radical scavenging activity was found to be higher in hot water extracts. The TBARS values of emulsion sausages were significantly increased as storage time increased, and the TBARS values of emulsion sausages prepared with natural extracts were lower than those of control sausages. Natural extract-treated emulsion sausages showed a 99% reduction in bacterial contents compared with untreated sausages on day 2, with greater than 99.9% reduction after day 3. Thus, these results demonstrated that natural extracts could have applications as natural preservatives in meat products.

Parkinson's disease in a worker exposed to insecticides at a greenhouse.

BACKGROUND: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a rare, neurodegenerative disease with various occupational and environmental risk factors. Exposure to specific pesticides contributes significantly to the incidence of PD. However, it is difficult to measure the level of pesticide exposure in workers. This study presents the first case recognized the work-relatedness between PD and pesticide exposure. CASE PRESENTATION: A 68-year-old male was diagnosed with PD after working with pesticides at a tomato greenhouse for 12 years and 5 months. From the results of a field study, it was reasonable to assume that the patient had been exposed to a significant level of various insecticides. In the present report, we described the first accepted case of work-relatedness between PD and exposure to pesticides. The evaluation was conducted using the following steps: we ruled out other possible risk factors including additional occupational history and personal risk factors, we assessed the work environment, surveyed possible exposures, found proper epidemiological evidence, and calculated the probability of causation. The work-relatedness was determined through the review of epidemiological evidence and estimation of exposure situation and level, and biological plausibility. We also decided work-relatedness based on the exposure of PD related pesticides with identified biologically plausible and the presumption that the exposure level would be high due to the working process. CONCLUSIONS: In this case, the field study and epidemiological results supported the work-relatedness of PD and exposure to pesticides. Moreover, the results of previous studies have confirmed a causal relationship between exposure to pesticides and PD.

Physicochemical and textural properties of emulsions prepared from the larvae of the edible insects Tenebrio molitor, Allomyrina dichotoma, and Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis.

The use of edible insects to replace meat protein is important to ensure future global food security. However, processed foods using edible insects require development to enhance consumer perception. Here, we examined the physicochemical characteristics and rheological properties of emulsions prepared from different edible insect larvae. Three edible insect species (Tenebrio molitor, Allomyrina dichotoma and Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis) were used to prepare larval emulsions that were formulated with 65% of insect larvae, 20% of pork back fat, and 15% ice. The A. dichotoma emulsion had the highest pH and lightness, redness, and yellowness values, while the T. molitor emulsion had the lowest pH and lightness, redness, and yellowness values. The T. molitor emulsion had the highest hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and apparent viscosity values but the lowest springiness and cohesiveness values. According to the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) analysis, T. molitor had the thickest bands, followed by P. brevitarsis seulensis . The differential scanning calorimetry distributions for the T. molitor and A. dichotoma emulsions showed one peak, while that of the P. brevitarsis seulensis emulsion had two peaks. The collective results suggest that T. molitor was the most suitable candidate (of the three tested species) for use as a meat replacement in terms of its physicochemical and rheological properties. It is important that such properties of insect-based emulsions are maintained using various technologies.

Analyzing Gluten Content in Various Food Products Using Different Types of ELISA Test Kits.

Gluten is an insoluble protein produced when glutelins and prolamins, which are found in grains such as wheat, barley, and oats, combine to form an elastic thin film. This dietary gluten can cause severe contraction of the intestinal mucous membrane in some people, preventing nutrient absorption. This condition, called celiac disease (CD), affects approximately 1% of the world's population. The only current treatment for patients with CD and similar diseases is lifelong avoidance of gluten. To analyze the gluten content in food, various enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests are currently used. In this study, the gluten content in various food products was analyzed using different kinds of ELISA test kits. For gluten-free food, three different ELISA test kits mostly yielded values below the limit of detection. However, gluten was detected at 24.0-40.2 g/kg in bread, 6.5-72.6 g/kg in noodles, and 23.0-86.9 g/kg in different powder food samples. A significant difference (p < 0.05) in gluten content was observed for these gluten-containing food products. Reproducibility issues suggest that it is necessary to use several ELISA kits for the accurate detection and quantification of gluten in various food products rather than using one ELISA kit.

Effects of hydrocolloids on the quality characteristics of cold-cut duck meat jelly.

In this study, we examined the effects of various hydrocolloid (alginate, carrageenan, and konjac) treatments on the quality characteristics of cold-cut duck meat jelly. Seven different types of cold-cut duck meat jelly were prepared: control, without hydrocolloids; T1, 0.5% alginate; T2, 0.5% carrageenan; T3, 0.5% konjac; T4, 0.25% alginate + 0.25% carrageenan; T5, 0.25% carrageen + 0.25% konjac; and T6, 0.25% alginate + 0.25% konjac. The pH and moisture content of the cold-cut duck meat jelly with hydrocolloids was higher (p < 0.05) than that of the control. The highest lightness value was recorded for T4 and T6 (p < 0.05), and the hardness was lower (p < 0.05) in the meat jelly with hydrocolloids than in the control, except for T2 and T5. The springiness of the meat jelly was the highest (p < 0.05) in T1 and T4. The onset, peak, and end temperatures were the lowest (p < 0.05) in the control. The highest appearance score of the meat jelly was observed in T6, and its overall acceptability was higher (p < 0.05) than that of the control, indicating that, of all the treatments, 0.25% alginate + 0.25% konjac yielded the most desirable results. Thus, the combined use of duck skin and gelatin with alginate and konjac is potentially applicable for the development of new cold-cut duck meat products.

Comparison of Different Types of SPME Arrow Sorbents to Analyze Volatile Compounds in Cirsium setidens Nakai.

Cirsium setidens Nakai is a perennial plant extensively used as food in Korea. Various reports have illustrated the presence of phytochemicals with antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory activities; however, little is known about the volatile compounds present in this plant. Here, a novel solid-phase microextraction (SPME) Arrow method was performed to extract and analyze volatile compounds from freeze-dried Cirsium setidens Nakai. Four types of SPME Arrows coated with films, such as carbon wide range/polydimethylsiloxane, divinylbenzene/polydimethylsiloxane, polydimethylsiloxane, and polyacrylate were evaluated to identify the most suitable Arrow. The carbon wide range/polydimethylsiloxane Arrow was found to exhibit high affinity for the volatile compounds present in Cirsium setidens Nakai. A total of 58 volatile compounds were identified. The major compounds were 2-Pentylfuran, 1-Methylcycloheptanol, 1-Penten-3-ol, 2,2,4,6,6-Pentamethylheptane, 2,3,6,7-Tetramethyloctane, 5-Ethyl-2,2,3-trimethylheptane, 3,5-Octadien-2-one, ß-Cyclocitral, and trans-ß-Ionone. The present study demonstrates that the SPME Arrow coated with the carbon wide range/polydimethylsiloxane film is suitable for the analytical profiling of volatile compounds present in Cirsium setidens Nakai.

Achievements, Problems, and Future Direction of the Quality Control Program for Special Periodic Health Examination Agencies in Republic of Korea.

The ultimate goal of the quality control program for special periodic health examination agencies is to diagnose the health condition of a worker correctly, based on accurate examination and analysis skills, leading to protect the worker's health. The quality control program on three areas, chemical analysis for biological monitoring since 1995, and pneumoconiosis, audiometric testing since 1996, has contributed to improve the reliability of occupational health screenings by improving the issues including standardization of testing methods, tools, diagnostic opinions, and reliability of analysis for biological monitoring. It has contributed to improving the reliability of occupational health monitoring by rectifying the following issues associated with previous monitoring: absence of standardized testing methods, testing tools that are not upgraded, mismatching diagnostic opinions, and unreliable results of biological specimen analysis. Nevertheless, there are issues in need of further improvement such as lack of expertise or the use of inappropriate method for health examination, and passive and unwilling participation in the quality control. We suggested solutions to these problems for each area of quality control program. Above all, it is essential to provide active support for health examiners to develop their expertise, while encouraging all the health screening agencies, employers, and workers to develop the desire to improve the system and to maintain the relevance.

Combination effects of nitrite from fermented spinach and sodium nitrite on quality characteristics of cured pork loin.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of fermented spinach derived nitrite and sodium nitrite on cured pork loin. Methods: The following treatments were prepared using brine (8% (w/v) salt): Control (-), no nitrite added; Control (+), 0.08% (w/v) sodium nitrite brine; T1, 0.04% (w/v) nitrite fermented spinach juice in 0.04% (w/v) sodium nitrite brine; T2, spinach juice in 0.04% (w/v) sodium nitrite brine; T3, 0.04% (w/v) nitrite fermented spinach juice used as sodium nitrite free brine; and T4, spinach juice used as sodium nitrite free brine. T2 and T4 were incubated to allow to reduce nitrate to nitrite. Results: Spinach juice did not affect cooking loss and pH but negatively influenced flavor and overall acceptability (p<0.05). T1 samples containing synthetic and natural nitrites showed the highest redness values. Spinach juice negatively affected volatile basic nitrogen (VBN); however, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values of T1 and T3 were similar to those of controls (+) (p>0.05). Residual nitrite content decreased with decreasing synthetic nitrite levels. T1 and control samples showed no significant differences in overall acceptability (p>0.05). Conclusion: Thus, combined synthetic and natural nitrites improved the quality of cured pork loin.

Effect of hydrocolloids on the quality of restructured hams with duck skin.

We investigated the quality of duck ham restructured with various hydrocolloids (Alginic acid, Konjac, Carrageenan) on proximate composition, cooking loss, emulsion stability, pH, color, texture profile analysis (TPA), protein solubility, sensory characteristics, and apparent viscosity. Restructured duck ham was prepared as follows: control with no hydrocolloids, T1 (Alginate 1%), T2 (Alginate 0.5% + Konjac 0.5%), T3 (Alginate 0.7% + Konjac 0.3%), T4 (Alginate 0.5% + Carrageenan 0.5%), and T5 (Alginate 0.7% + Carrageenan 0.3%). The restructured duck hams with hydrocolloids had higher value for moisture content, ash content, and apparent viscosity than the control (P < 0.05). The cooking loss, total expressible fluid and fat separation, redness, hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness of restructured duck hams with hydrocolloids was lower than those of the control (P < 0.05). The sensory score for overall acceptability of restructured duck ham with T1 (1% alginate) and T2 (0.5% alginate + 0.5% konjac) was higher than that of the control (P < 0.05). Thus, this study showed that adding 1% alginate or 0.5% alginate + 0.5% konjac in restructured duck ham formulations results in optimized quality characteristics.

Optimization of Replacing Pork Meat with Yellow Worm (Tenebrio molitor L.) for Frankfurters.

The effects of replacing pork meat with yellow mealworms on the physicochemical properties and sensory characteristics of frankfurters were investigated in this study. The control (50% pork ham), T1 (45% pork ham + 5% yellow mealworm), T2 (40% pork ham + 10% yellow mealworm), T3 (35% pork ham + 15% yellow mealworm), T4 (30% pork ham + 20% yellow mealworm), T5 (25% pork ham + 25% yellow mealworm), and T6 (20% pork ham + 30% yellow mealworm) were prepared, replacing lean pork meat with yellow mealworm. The moisture content, lightness, sarcoplasmic protein solubility, hardness, gumminess, chewiness, and apparent viscosity of frankfurters with yellow mealworm were lower than those of the control (p<0.05), whereas the content of protein and ash, pH, and yellowness of frankfurters with yellow mealworm were higher than those of the control (p<0.05). The fat content of frankfurters in T1 (p<0.05) was the highest, and the fat content of treatments decreased with increasing yellow mealworm concentrations (p<0.05). Frankfurters with increasing yellow mealworm concentrations had lower color, flavor, off-flavor, and juiciness scores. The overall acceptability was not significantly different in the control, T1, and T2 (p>0.05). Thus, the results of this study showed that replacing lean pork meat with up to 10% yellow mealworm successfully maintained the quality of frankfurters at a level similar to that of the regular control frankfurters.

Effect of the Duck Skin on Quality Characteristics of Duck Hams.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of duck skin on cooking loss, emulsion stability, pH, color, protein solubility, texture profile analysis (TPA), apparent viscosity, and sensory characteristics of press type duck ham with different ratio of duck breast meat and duck skin. Five duck ham formulations were produced with the following compositions: T1 (duck breast 70% + duck skin 30%), T2 (duck breast 60% + duck skin 40%), T3 (duck breast 50% + duck skin 50%), T4 (duck breast 40% + duck skin 60%), and T5 (duck breast 30% + duck skin 70%). The cooking loss and fat separation were lower in T1, and the total expressible fluid separations were lower in T1 and T2 than others. The pH ranged from 6.48 to 6.59, with the highest values in T4 and T5. T5 had the highest CIE L*-value, and T1 and T2 had the highest CIE a*-values; however, CIE b*-values did not differ significantly between the duck ham samples. The protein solubility and TPA (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness) were the highest in T1. T1 and T2 had higher scores for color, tenderness, and overall acceptability. T1, T2, and T3 showed significantly higher values, but there were no significant differences for flavor and juiciness. Regarding apparent viscosity properties, T1 and T2 had higher viscosity values than the other formulations. In conclusion, the T1 (duck breast 70% + duck skin 30%) and T2 (duck breast 60% + duck skin 40%) duck hams show the highest quality characteristics.

Effect of Fermented Spinach as Sources of Pre-Converted Nitrite on Color Development of Cured Pork Loin.

The effect of fermented spinach extracts on color development in cured meats was investigated in this study. The pH values of raw cured meats without addition of fermented spinach extract or nitrite (negative control) were higher (p<0.05) than those added with fermented spinach extract. The pH values of raw and cooked cured meats in treatment groups were decreased with increasing addition levels of fermented spinach extract. The lightness and yellowness values of raw cured meats formulated with fermented spinach extract were higher (p<0.05) than those of the control groups (both positive and negative controls). The redness values of cooked cured meats were increased with increasing fermented spinach extract levels, whereas the yellowness values of cooked cured meats were decreased with increasing levels of fermented spinach extract. The lowest volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values were observed in the positive control group with addition of nitrite. TBARS values of cured meats added with fermented spinach extract were decreased with increasing levels of fermented spinach extract and VBN values of curing meat with 30% fermented spinach extract was lower than the other treatments. Total viable bacterial counts in cured meats added with fermented spinach extract ranged from 0.34-1.01 Log CFU/g. E. coli and coliform bacteria were not observed in any of the cured meats treated with fermented spinach extracts or nitrite. Residual nitrite contents in treatment groups were increased with increasing levels of fermented spinach extract added. These results demonstrated that fermented spinach could be added to meat products to improve own curing characteristics.

Replacement of Pork Meat with Pork Head Meat for Frankfurters.

The effect of reducing pork meat concentrations from 50% to 30% and replacing it with up to 20% pork head meat on chemical composition, cooking characteristics, physicochemical and textural properties, apparent viscosity, and sensory characteristics of frankfurters was determined. The highest moisture content in frankfurters was found in the control and T1 (frankfurter with 45% pork meat + 5% pork head). Protein and fat contents in frankfurters with pork head meat added were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those in the control. When the concentration of pork head meat was increased from 0% to 20%, cooking loss, total expressible fluid separation, fat separation, and pH of frankfurters were increased, while the lightness, redness, yellowness, and apparent viscosity of frankfurters were decreased. Ash contents, cohesiveness, color, and tenderness of sensory characteristics of frankfurters added with different amounts of pork meat or pork head meat were not significantly (p>0.05) different from those of the control or there treatments. Frankfurters in T4 (frankfurter with 30% pork meat + 20% pork head) had the lowest (p<0.05) hardness and gumminess. The hardness and gumminess of frankfurters in other treatments were not significantly different (p>0.05) from that in the control. Frankfurters with higher pork head meat concentrations had lower flavor, juiciness, and overall acceptability scores. Therefore, replacing pork meat with pork head meat in the formulation could successfully produce results similar to those of control frankfurters. The best results were obtained when 10% pork head meat was used to replace pork meat.

Comparative Study on the Effects of Boiling, Steaming, Grilling, Microwaving and Superheated Steaming on Quality Characteristics of Marinated Chicken Steak.

The effects of five different cooking methods (boiling, steaming, grilling, microwaving, and superheated steaming) on proximate composition, pH, color, cooking loss, textural properties, and sensory characteristics of chicken steak were studied. Moisture content and lightness value (L*-value) were higher in superheated steam cooked chicken steak than that of the other cooking treatments such as boiling, steaming, grilling and microwaving cooking (p<0.05), whereas protein content, redness value (a*-value), hardness, gumminess, and chewiness of superheated steam cooked chicken steak was lower than that in the other cooking treatments (p<0.05). Fat content and ash content, springiness, and cohesiveness were not significantly different among the chicken steak cooked using various methods (p>0.05). Among the sensory characteristics, tenderness score, juiciness score and overall acceptability score were the highest for the superheated steam samples (p<0.05), whereas no difference in flavor scores were observed among the other treatments (p>0.05). These results show that marinated chicken steak treated with superheated steam in a preheated 250℃ oven and 380℃ steam for 5 min until core temperature reached 75℃ improved the quality characteristics and sensory properties the best. Therefore, superheated steam was useful to improve cooked chicken steak.

Effect of apple pomace fiber and pork fat levels on quality characteristics of uncured, reduced-fat chicken sausages.

The effects of reducing pork fat level from 30 to 25 and 20% by partially substituting pork fat with 1 and 2% apple pomace fiber were investigated based on the evaluation of physicochemical properties and textural properties of uncured, reduced-fat chicken sausages. Increased fat level resulted in decreased moisture content, cooking loss, total expressible fluid separation, fat separation, and yellowness of uncured, reduced-fat chicken sausages, whereas, an increase in fat content, caloric energy, pH, lightness, redness, hardness, cohesiveness, gumminess, and chewiness was observed. The results showed that uncured, reduced-fat chicken sausage samples with increased apple pomace fiber level had lower cooking loss, total expressible fluid separation, fat separation, pH, and redness. The results from this study show that inclusion of apple pomace fiber in the formulation will successfully reduce fat content in emulsion sausages, while improving quality characteristics relative to regular-fat (30%) control.