Modification and simplification of Rongey's method for measurement of meat batter stability.

The method of Rongey for assessment and quantification of meat batter/emulsion stability has over the years proven useful to many research and industrial laboratories around the world. Unfortunately, its requirement for specialized glassware and a very large centrifugation unit makes the method inaccessible to many modern laboratories. We have, therefore, modified Rongey's original method by adapting it to present-day commercially-available glassware and centrifugation equipment. This modified method was validated by comparing it to Rongey's method on both high-fat (27%) and low-fat (10%) finely comminuted pork batters, each with and without the addition of salt (1.8%) and sodium phosphates (0.5%). This design provided us with batters ranging in stability from very low to very high, thus allowing us to compare the methods across analytical extremes. This modified method:•Utilizes glassware and centrifugation equipment that are commercially-available today.•Maintains the simplicity and speed of the original method of Rongey.•Yields results that are comparable to those of Rongey's traditional method.

Impact of nitrite-embedded packaging film on quality and sensory attributes of alternatively-cured and nitrite-free bologna.

The objectives were to determine the effects of post-thermal processing nitrite-embedded film (NEF) packaging on the quality attributes of alternatively-cured (nitrite from celery juice powder (AC)) and nitrite-free bologna. Attributes evaluated included lipid oxidation, instrumental color, pigment concentration, and sensory properties such as cured meat flavor, aroma, and color. Three bologna formulations, each packaged with two packaging films were produced. A conventionally-cured control formulation (with nitrite from sodium nitrite; CON), a nitrite-free formulation (UCC), and an alternatively cured formulation (nitrite from cultured celery juice powder; AC) were packaged in conventional (CF) or nitrite-embedded (NEF) film. Instrumental a* values (measured during both light and dark storage at intervals of 7 or 14 days over 126 days of storage) and cured pigment concentration (measured at 14-day intervals over 84 days of storage) were significantly greater (P < 0.05) for the UCC-NEF treatment compared to its conventional film counterpart, UCC-CF. No significant differences (P > 0.05) for lipid oxidation (TBARS values) were observed with NEF. Trained sensory panelists, who evaluated samples at 14-day intervals over 70 days of storage, found significantly greater (P < 0.05) cured aroma, cured flavor, pink color and less off-flavor for uncured bologna packaged in NEF compared to conventional film. For the uncured bologna formulation, NEF packaging provided cured meat attributes comparable to the control formulation that included nitrite. This is the first time that cured aroma and flavor have been observed when nitrite from packaging film is added to a cooked meat product under anaerobic conditions.