Meat products, fermentation

Fermented Products. Fermented meat products such as semidried and dried sausages are generally recognized as safe, if critical points during processing are controlled properly. Some of the sausage processors use a small amount of fermented product as the starter for a new batch of product. 

The main limitation to the clinical use of the MAOIs is due to their interaction with amine-containing foods such as cheeses, red wine, beers (including non-alcoholic beers), fermented and processed meat products, yeast products, soya and some vegetables. Some proprietary medicines such as cold cures contain phenylpropanolamine, ephedrine, etc. and will also interact with MAOIs. Such an interaction (termed the "cheese effect"), is attributed to the dramatic rise in blood pressure due to the sudden release of noradrenaline from peripheral sympathetic terminals, an event due to the displacement of noradrenaline from its mtraneuronal vesicles by the primary amine (usually tyramine). Under normal circumstances, any dietary amines would be metabolized by MAO in the wall of the gastrointestinal tract, in the liver, platelets, etc. The occurrence of hypertensive crises, and occasionally strokes, therefore limited the use of the MAOIs, despite their proven clinical efficacy, to the treatment of atypical depression and occasionally panic disorder. 

Biogenic amines can be found in processed meat products as a consequence of microbial activity related to the fermentation involved in their processing, but amines can be also found in poor-quality raw materials as a consequence of microbial contamination. Therefore the BA content in cooked meat (not fermented) products might serve as a useful indicator of the hygienic quality of the meat employed for its elaboration. However, this relationship for ripened meat products is rather complex, since the ability to produce BAs of the fermentative microflora need to be well known before limits can be set. According to the few studies performed on BAs in meat products,... 

Protease (Aspergillus oryzae var.) Produced by controlled fermentation using Aspergillus oryzae var. The purified enzyme occurs as an off-white to tan, amorphous powder. Soluble in water (the solution is usually light yellow) but practically insoluble in alcohol, in chloroform, and in ether. Major active principle protease. Typical applications chillproofing of beer production of bakery products tenderizing of meat production of protein hydrolysates development of flavor in processed foods. 

Biogenic amines (BAs), as spermine, spermidine and cadaverine, are synthesized in several parts of the vine, such as berries, seeds and leaves, with growth-regulating roles, while histamine, tyramine and 1-methylhistamine can be present just in trace amounts (Adams et al., 1990 Radler and Fath, 1991 Geny et al., 1997 Nicolini et al., 2003). BAs were instead found in significant amounts in fermented foods and beverages, such as cheeses, beer and fish and meat products (Stratton et al., 1991 Shalaby, 1996). They were also found in wine, the most abundant being histamine, tyramine, putrescine and phenylethylamine (Radler and Fath, 1991 Lehtonen, 1996). 

Heterocyclic compounds generally have very low thresholds. Thiazoles, thi-olanes, thiophenes, furans, pyrazines, and pyridines are normally present in larger numbers and higher concentrations in cooked, fermented, and processed seafoods or meat products than in fresh ones (Pan and Kuo, 1994). 

All phases of meat fermentation were reviewed in a recent book edited by Campbell-Platt and Cook (1995). The discussion covers the safety aspects of fermentation in meat products as well as its use world wide and the techniques that are utilized. 

Fermentation and simultaneous dehydration of meat products is one of several basic processing steps (Campbell-Platt and Cook, 1995). However, few meat products are dehydrated as a separate process. In many processed meat products having a reduced moisture content, drying occurs simultaneously with ripening. Ripening occurs under controlled dehydration condi-... 

Cook, P. E. (1995). Fungal ripened meats and meat products. In Fermented Meats (G. Campbell-Platt and P. E. Cook, eds.), pp. 110-129. Blackie, London. 

Incze, K. (1991). Raw fermented and dried meat products. Int. Congr. Meat Sci. Technol, Kulmbach, Germany, 1991, Vol. 2, p. 829. 

Incze, K. (1992). Raw fermented and dried meat products. Fleischwirtschaft 72, 62. 

Foods, e.g., cheese, fish, beer, some fermented foods, and red wine Spoiled foods Meat, meat products, and gelatin... 

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