Fresh meat

More than half of flexible packaging is used for food. Within foods, candy, bakery products, and snack-type foods, such as potato and com chips, use well over half of flexible packaging. Cheese, processed meat, shrink wraps, condiments, dry-drink mixes, fresh meats, and fresh produce represent smaller appHcations. 

In the area of gas permeabiUty, the low crystallinity of a typical ionomer ( 30%) results in relatively high permeabiUty to oxygen. For packaging of fresh meat this is advantageous, but in other packaging areas, combination with a barrier layer may be requited (see Barrier polymers). 

Supercritical Fluid Extraction. Supercritical fluid (SCF) extraction is a process in which elevated pressure and temperature conditions are used to make a substance exceed a critical point. Once above this critical point, the gas (CO2 is commonly used) exhibits unique solvating properties. The advantages of SCF extraction in foods are that there is no solvent residue in the extracted products, the process can be performed at low temperature, oxygen is excluded, and there is minimal protein degradation (49). One area in which SCF extraction of Hpids from meats maybe appHed is in the production of low fat dried meat ingredients for further processed items. Its apphcation in fresh meat is less successful because the fresh meat contains relatively high levels of moisture (50). 

Frisch-erz, n. raw ore. -esse, /. refining furnace, refinery, -feuer, n. refining fire, refinery. -feuereisen, n. refined iron, charcoal hearth iron, -fleisch, n. fresh meat, frisch-gebrannt, p.a. freshly burned. -gefSllt, p.a. freshly precipitated. -gelfischt, a. freshly quenched or slaked. 

Unsealed products will be affected by low humidity of the air in the cooled space and may suffer dehydration. Conversely, some food products such as fresh meat will deteriorate in high humidities. Since the dewpoint of the air approaches the fm surface temperature of the evaporator (see also Chapter 24), the inside humidity is a function of the coil AT. That is to say, the colder the fin surface, the... 

Handling conditions must be hygienic. Some types of food, such as milk, can be kept sealed within the processing system. If the food will be exposed to the air during handling, the conditions of the surrounding air - in terms of temperature, humidity and cleanliness - must be the best that can be maintained. This is especially the case with fresh meats. 

Wet fish will impart its smell to butter, cheese, eggs and fresh meat. 

Storage conditions in terms of air movement and humidity will be different to those used when initially chilling the carcase. Chilled meat on the bone is stored at about 0°C, up to the point of sale. The humidity of the surrounding air is also critical in the case of fresh meats - too dry and the meat will lose weight and discolour, too humid and a slime will form on the surface. 

Most packaged foods require a barrier against gases, flavors, or odors to maintain product quality and provide acceptable shelf life. Baked foods usually need moisture protection, while fresh meats and vegetables require low or controlled exposure to oxygen... 

Red Meat. The in-store wrapping of fresh meats is another packaging system with interesting compatibility requirements. If red meats are packaged in a heavy polyethylene film, 2 mils thick for example, the meat will turn dark. If, however, a % mil vinyl film with high oxygen trans-... 

For gourmet food retail stores, it is important to be aware that there will be strong competition from other premium products being sold. The farmer should also be aware of the customer profile and (by simply looking in shopping baskets) get some idea of current preferences. Not many gourmet food shops or health food stores have fresh meat counters, whereas restaurants require regular supplies of fresh meat. Fresh and frozen meat are two different markets and require different distribution channels. 

Table 9.1 Characteristics of fresh meat demanded in Europe today (Andersen et al., 2005)...

Meat flavour. Meat flavour represents a large number of compounds formed during heating of the product. The flavour development mainly depends on constituents in the fresh meat, for example, fat composition, peptides, glycogen concentration, vitamin content and the heat treatment of the product. Increasing temperatures increase flavour development. According to Andersen (2000), the intensity of pork flavour has decreased during recent years, most probably as a result of the production of pork with a minimal content of intramuscular fat. 

Becker T, Benner E and Glitsch K (2000), Consumer perception of fresh meat quality in Germany , Brit Food J, 102, 246-266. 

The recently published book on food safety related to animal products Improving the Safety of Fresh Meat edited by Sofos (Sofos, 2005) is a very valuable resource that covers different strategies of control and understanding the ecology of pathogens transmitted via meat. Another book that covers the topic of farm-to-fork food safety with relevant information on livestock... 

Sofos, N. J. (2005) Improving the Safety of Fresh Meat, Woodhead, Cambridge, UK. 

Table 2. Results from studies of the correlation between proton relaxation in fresh meat and subsequent technological traits...

Stretch wrap is a strong, flexible film that can be stretched to take the shape of the contained goods. It is used at home to over-wrap fresh meat and other leftovers or industrially to secure shipping cartons to pallets. It is usually made of LLDPE, LDPE or PVC. 

Effects of Processing Biogenic Amines in Fresh Meats Biogenic Amines in Wine and Beer Biogenic Amines in Other Foods References... 

Increase of shelf life under refrigeration and control of pathogenic nonsporeforming bacteria in fresh meat and poultry can be achieved by a 1-3 kGy dose. Doses for irradiation are selected under the consideration of threshold dose levels for sensory changes (off-odor), which depends on the type of animal meat (Table 7) [45]. Off-odor is due to the generation of volatile compounds from lipids and nitrogenous compounds formed by the reaction of these constituents with the reactive species produced by the radiolysis of water. 

The considerable extension of the shelf life by doses as low as 1 kGy under aerobic conditions is due to the radiation sensitivity of Pseudomonas spp. [46] and other Gramnegative bacteria mainly associated with spoilage of fresh meat and poultry. Also, a... 

Refrigeration is used in trucks, truck/trailers, intermodal containers, railcars, and ships. The majority of refrigerated vehicles fall into one of three refrigeration classifications (/) 0 to 4°C, perishable produce (2) —2 to 0°C, fresh meats and (3) —43 to —17° C, frozen foods. Although the basic principles of the Rankine cycle apply to transport refrigeration, it has unique methods for powering the compression process. 

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