Effect of mechanical pretreatment technology for raw meat on qualities of porcine sliced ham

To improve water exuding, textures and edible quality of porcine ham, the effects of five raw meat mechanical treatments on porcine sliced ham quality characteristics were investigated. The five mechanical treatments included only tumbling, post-injection tumbling, post-tenderization tumbling, post-injection tenderization and tumbling, post- grinding with broadsword and tumbling. Hams were prepared of Quadriceps femoris from prok hind leg muscle. Water binding characteristics (cooking loss, expressible moisture (EM), pasteurization water loss), textural characteristics (hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, chewiness), color parameters and sensory quality of hams were detected. The results showed that injection or tenderization could help to significantly decrease the cooking loss and expressible moisture of the hams, and the lowest cooking loss of hams made by post-injection tenderization and tumbling treatment was 7.90%. The hams subjected to post- grinding with broadsword and tumbling exhibited the lowest pasteurization water loss, which was 2.66%. Besides, the hams made by post-injection tenderization and tumbling treatment and the post-grinding with broadsword and tumbling treatment exhibited the lowest pasteurization water loss which was significantly lower than that in the other treatments. Injection and tenderization improved the hardness, cohesiveness and chewiness of the products. The hams manufactured by post-injection tenderization and tumbling treatment showed better texture characteristics than those made by only one treatment or combination of two treatments. However, among the five mechanical treatments, the hams made by post- grinding with broadsword and tumbling treatment exhibited the largest hardness, cohesiveness and chewiness properties. In addition, injection and tenderization improved the lightness and redness, but decreased the yellowness of the hams. Sensory evaluation results indicated that the only tumbling treatment resulted in the worse sensory qualities of the hams, there were no significant differences in sensory qualities between the two kinds of hams which were made by post-injection and post-tenderization tumbling. The sensory textures and sliceability of the hams produced by post-injection tenderization and tumbling treatment were less than those hams made by post- grinding with broadsword and tumbling treatment, but higher visibility of meat matrix and better colour properties were exhibited. Therefore, it's suggested that in industrialized production by post-injection tenderization and tumbling of raw meat porcine sliced ham has the best qualities.