New Strategies in Production and Product Quality Control of Fresh Meat

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Meat".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2022) | Viewed by 30968

Special Issue Editor


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Guest Editor
Lacombe Research and Development Centre, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Lacombe, AB, Canada
Interests: phenomics; beef; pork; lamb; high-throughput technologies
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

 

The meat sector has evolved during the last few decades to take advantage of new opportunities and address numerous challenges. International trade, niche markets, environmental impact, animal welfare, and human nutrition are only some of the many factors shaping the way we produce and market meat around the world. Moreover, quality assurance and classification systems are more important than ever, as buyers and consumers are becoming more exigent, and competition for the global market requires novel technologies which can meet such requirements. In this Special Issue of Foods, we will explore new strategies to be implemented in the meat sector, both at the production and quality control stages.

Dr. Manuel Juárez
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • meat
  • beef
  • pork
  • lamb
  • chicken
  • quality control
  • production

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Editorial

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2 pages, 177 KiB  
Editorial
New Strategies in Production and Product Quality Control of Fresh Meat
by Manuel Juárez
Foods 2022, 11(20), 3293; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11203293 - 21 Oct 2022
Viewed by 1814
Abstract
Meat consumption continues to increase worldwide, especially in developing countries, and this trend is expected to persist in the future, as the per capita income of the countries continues to grow [...] Full article

Research

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14 pages, 3449 KiB  
Article
Prevalence of Multidrug-Resistant Salmonella enterica Serovars in Buffalo Meat in Egypt
by Samir Mohammed Abd-Elghany, Takwa Mohammed Fathy, Amira Ibrahim Zakaria, Kálmán Imre, Adriana Morar, Viorel Herman, Raul Pașcalău, Laura Șmuleac, Doru Morar, Mirela Imre and Khalid Ibrahim Sallam
Foods 2022, 11(18), 2924; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11182924 - 19 Sep 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2520
Abstract
The current study aimed to investigate the presence of Salmonella spp. prevalence in buffalo meat in Egypt, along with studying the antimicrobial susceptibility of the recovered isolates. Salmonella spp. was detected in 25% of tested buffalo meat. A total of 53 (100%) isolates [...] Read more.
The current study aimed to investigate the presence of Salmonella spp. prevalence in buffalo meat in Egypt, along with studying the antimicrobial susceptibility of the recovered isolates. Salmonella spp. was detected in 25% of tested buffalo meat. A total of 53 (100%) isolates were genetically verified by PCR as Salmonella, based on the detection of the invA gene. The stn and hilA genes were detected in 71.7% (38/53), and 83.0% (44/53) of the recovered isolates, respectively. Salmonella Enteritidis (11/53; 20.7%) was the most commonly isolated serovar, followed by S. Typhimurium (9/53; 17%), S. Montevideo (6/53; 11.3%), meanwhile, S. Chester, S. Derby, S. Papuana, and S. Saintpaul were the least commonly identified serovars (a single strain for each; 1.9%). Among the 16 antimicrobials tested, amikacin, imipenem, gentamicin, cefotaxime, meropenem, ciprofloxacin, and enrofloxacin were the most effective drugs, with bacterial susceptibility percentages of 98.1%, 94.3%, 92.5%, 86.8%, 83.0%, 73.6%, and 69.8%, respectively. Meanwhile, the least effective ones were erythromycin, streptomycin, clindamycin, cefepime, and nalidixic acid, with bacterial resistance percentages of 100%, 98.1%, 88.7%, 77.4%, and 66%, respectively. Interestingly, the high contamination level of Egyptian buffalo meat with multidrug-resistant Salmonella (79.2%; 42/53) can constitute a problem for public health. Therefore, programs to control Salmonella contamination are needed in Egypt. Full article
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11 pages, 312 KiB  
Article
Performance, Carcass Traits, Pork Quality and Expression of Genes Related to Intramuscular Fat Metabolism of Two Diverse Genetic Lines of Pigs
by Marcos Henrique Soares, Gustavo de Amorim Rodrigues, Dante Teixeira Valente Júnior, Caroline Brito da Silva, Thaís Correia Costa, Marcio de Souza Duarte and Alysson Saraiva
Foods 2022, 11(15), 2280; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11152280 - 30 Jul 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3114
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the performance, carcass and pork quality traits, as well as the mRNA expression of genes related to intramuscular fat deposition in female pigs from different genetic lines. A total of eighteen female pigs (Large White × Landrace × Duroc [...] Read more.
We aimed to evaluate the performance, carcass and pork quality traits, as well as the mRNA expression of genes related to intramuscular fat deposition in female pigs from different genetic lines. A total of eighteen female pigs (Large White × Landrace × Duroc × Pietrain) × (Large White × Landrace) (Hybrid) averaging 88.96 ± 3.44 kg in body weight and twelve female pigs (Duroc) × (Large White × Landrace) (Duroc) averaging 85.63 ± 1.55 kg in body weight were assigned to a completely randomized design experimental trial that lasted 45 days. Pigs from both genetic lines received the same diet, which was initially adjusted for their nutritional requirements from 0 to 17 days of age and subsequently adjusted for nutritional requirements from 17 to 45 days of age. The performance of pigs did not differ among groups (p > 0.05). Duroc pigs showed a lower backfat thickness (p < 0.03) and greater intramuscular fat content (p < 0.1). A greater mRNA expression of the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma gene (PPARγ, p = 0.008) and fatty acid protein translocase/cluster differentiation (FAT/CD36, p = 0.002) was observed in the Longissimus dorsi muscle of Duroc pigs. Similarly, a greater expression of PPARγ (p = 0.009) and FAT/CD36 (p = 0.02) was observed in the Soleus muscle of Duroc pigs. Overall, we observed that despite the lack of differences in performance between the genetic groups, Duroc pigs had greater intramuscular fat content than hybrid pigs. The increased intramuscular fat content was associated with an increase in the mRNA expression of key transcriptional factors and genes encoding enzymes involved in adipogenesis and lipogenesis in glycolytic and oxidative skeletal muscle tissues. Full article
11 pages, 647 KiB  
Article
Changes in Physico-Chemical and Storage Properties of Dry-Aged Beef Loin Using Electric Field Refrigeration System
by Kyu-Min Kang, Sol-Hee Lee and Hack-Youn Kim
Foods 2022, 11(11), 1539; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11111539 - 24 May 2022
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 2298
Abstract
The aim of this study is to establish the dry aging period of beef loin in an electric field refrigeration system. Beef loins (Korea quality grade 2) were dry aged at 0, −1, and −2 °C temperature in an electric field refrigeration system [...] Read more.
The aim of this study is to establish the dry aging period of beef loin in an electric field refrigeration system. Beef loins (Korea quality grade 2) were dry aged at 0, −1, and −2 °C temperature in an electric field refrigeration system (air velocity, 5 ± 2 m/s) and aging stopped as the value of TPC reached 7 log CFU/g. Samples were examined by aging yield, trimming yield, pH, color, water holding capacity (WHC), cooking yield, shear force, total plate count (TPC), 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN). The results for aging yield, trimming yield, redness, yellowness, and chroma decreased with increasing the dry aging period. Contrariwise, those for pH, lightness, hue angle, WHC, and cooking yield increased with the dry aging period. In shear force, the lowest value occurred at four weeks at all temperatures. The results for TPC, TBARS, and VBN increased with aging period, and VBN at 6 weeks at 0 °C and 9 weeks at −1 °C exceed the standard value (20 mg/100 g), while dry aging temperature had an effect on physico-chemical and storage properties by lower temperatures showed slower progress. Therefore, dry aging on an electric field refrigerate system can be used until 4 weeks at 0 °C, 8 weeks at −1 °C, and 10 weeks at −2 °C. However, considering physico-chemical properties, 4 weeks at every temperature is suitable for manufacturing soft dry-aged beef loin. Full article
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11 pages, 8167 KiB  
Article
Influence of Production Factors on Beef Primal Tissue Composition
by Vipasha Sood, Argenis Rodas-González, Stephanie Lam, Óscar López-Campos, Jose Segura, Timothy Schwinghamer, Michael Dugan, John Basarab, Jennifer Aalhus and Manuel Juárez
Foods 2022, 11(4), 518; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11040518 - 11 Feb 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1813
Abstract
This study used 1076 crossbred steers to evaluate the effects of calf-fed and yearling-fed beef production systems, implant strategies (with and without implants), and their interactions on the primal tissue composition (lean and fat components) of individual primal cuts using complete carcass dissection [...] Read more.
This study used 1076 crossbred steers to evaluate the effects of calf-fed and yearling-fed beef production systems, implant strategies (with and without implants), and their interactions on the primal tissue composition (lean and fat components) of individual primal cuts using complete carcass dissection data. The results indicate that production system × implant interactions affected loin and rib primal weight percentages as well as marbling (p < 0.05) but did not affect the dissectible lean and fat contents of the individual primal cut (p > 0.05). Implants increased lean and decreased fat tissue contents of primal cut; however, the production system only affected lean content in the loin (p < 0.05) and fat content in the loin, round, and rib (p < 0.05). Redundancy analysis revealed a strong association between Angus breed percentage and marbling, as well as between Simmental breed percentage and multiple primal lean traits. Response surface regression models explained less variability in the tissue composition traits in calf-fed compared with yearling-fed animals, suggesting the need for further exploration using genomic studies. Full article
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9 pages, 3010 KiB  
Communication
Can In-Line Iodine Value Predictions (NitFomTM) Be Used for Early Classification of Pork Belly Firmness?
by Stephanie Lam, Bethany Uttaro, Benjamin M. Bohrer, Marcio Duarte and Manuel Juárez
Foods 2022, 11(2), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods11020148 - 6 Jan 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2007
Abstract
Commercial technologies for assessing meat quality may be useful for performing early in-line belly firmness classification. This study used 207 pork carcasses to measure predicted iodine value (IV) at the clear plate region of the carcass with an in-line near-infrared probe (NitFomTM [...] Read more.
Commercial technologies for assessing meat quality may be useful for performing early in-line belly firmness classification. This study used 207 pork carcasses to measure predicted iodine value (IV) at the clear plate region of the carcass with an in-line near-infrared probe (NitFomTM), calculated IV of belly fat using wet chemistry methods, determined the belly bend angle (an objective method to measure belly firmness), and took dimensional belly measurements. A regression analysis revealed that NitFomTM predicted IV (R2 = 0.40) and belly fat calculated IV (R2 = 0.52) separately contributed to the partial variation of belly bend angle. By testing different NitFomTM IV classification thresholds, classifying soft bellies in the 15th percentile resulted in 5.31% false negatives, 5.31% false positives, and 89.38% correctly classified soft and firm bellies. Similar results were observed when the classification was based on belly fat IV calculated from chemically analyzed fatty acid composition. By reducing the level of stringency on the percentile of the classification threshold, an increase in false positives and decrease in false negatives was observed. This study suggests the IV predicted using the NitFomTM may be useful for early in-line presorting of carcasses based on expected belly firmness, which could optimize profitability by allocating carcasses to specific cutout specifications. Full article
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12 pages, 1911 KiB  
Article
Characterization of the Volatile Compounds of Zhenba Bacon at Different Process Stages Using GC–MS and GC–IMS
by Linjie Xi, Jing Zhang, Ruixiao Wu, Tian Wang and Wu Ding
Foods 2021, 10(11), 2869; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112869 - 19 Nov 2021
Cited by 38 | Viewed by 3490
Abstract
Zhenba bacon (ZB), a type of Chinese traditional bacon with a long history, has attracted considerable attention in the Southwest of China for its unique flavor. To elucidate the changing course of aroma components during the process of ZB, four stages of process [...] Read more.
Zhenba bacon (ZB), a type of Chinese traditional bacon with a long history, has attracted considerable attention in the Southwest of China for its unique flavor. To elucidate the changing course of aroma components during the process of ZB, four stages of process stages were assessed by GC–MS and GC–IMS coupled with multivariate data analysis. A total of 44 volatile compounds were identified by GC–IMS, including 5 esters, 8 alcohols, 12 aldehydes, 3 ketones, 1 furan and 2 sulfides; 40 volatile compounds were identified by GC–MS, 4 ketones, 7 phenols, 8 alcohols, 6 esters, 6 aldehydes, and 6 other compounds were detected. During the curing period, the amount and content of esters in Zhenba bacon gradually increased. Phenols appear in large quantities during the smoking period. The VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in the gallery plots were the most diverse in YZ samples, which are mainly esters. POV (peroxide value) and TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reactive substance) showed that lipid oxidation played an important role in the formation of volatile flavor components of bacon. This study provides valuable analytical data to explain the flavor formation of Zhenba bacon. Full article
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12 pages, 9581 KiB  
Article
A Comparison of Fresh Pork Colour Measurements by Using Four Commercial Handheld Devices
by Xinyi Wei, Stephanie Lam, Benjamin M. Bohrer, Bethany Uttaro, Oscar López-Campos, Nuria Prieto, Ivy L. Larsen and Manuel Juárez
Foods 2021, 10(11), 2515; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10112515 - 20 Oct 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2691
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of different low-cost instruments to measure pork colour in comparison to Minolta spectrophotometers and industry subjective standards. Canadian pork colour standards and commercial meat (252 loin chops and 46 tenderloins) were measured using [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of different low-cost instruments to measure pork colour in comparison to Minolta spectrophotometers and industry subjective standards. Canadian pork colour standards and commercial meat (252 loin chops and 46 tenderloins) were measured using two Minolta (CM 700D) spectrophotometers, four Nix sensors (two Nix Pro II and two Nix QC), and four Spectro devices (two Spectro 1 and two Spectro 1 Pro). Using Bland-Altman plots, all hand-held devices revealed similar performance on colour coordinates, except for the Nix Pro II, which had more variability on a* value, and Spectro 1 Pro on b* value, when compared to Minolta measurements. Low RSD values (< 5%) were obtained from repeated measurements on Canadian colour standards. The trend of colour coordinates on colour scores (0–6) were similar for all four commercial instruments, except for a* from Nix Pro and b* from Spectro 1. The correlation coefficients between subjective standards and colour coordinates from the Nix and Spectro devices were slightly higher than the Minolta spectrophotometers. Even though Nix and Spectro 1 series instruments generated different absolute colour coordinate values on meat samples, these pocket-size instruments presented great reliability to measure pork surface colour. However, operational limitations of the instruments, such as the internal calibration time between samples for the Spectro 1 series, should also be considered. Full article
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Review

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20 pages, 365 KiB  
Review
Salmonella in Chicken Meat: Consumption, Outbreaks, Characteristics, Current Control Methods and the Potential of Bacteriophage Use
by Kirsten Wessels, Diane Rip and Pieter Gouws
Foods 2021, 10(8), 1742; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods10081742 - 28 Jul 2021
Cited by 69 | Viewed by 9915
Abstract
The control of Salmonella in chicken processing plants is an ongoing challenge for many factories around the globe, especially with the increasing demand for poultry escalating processing throughputs. Foodborne outbreaks due to Salmonella still pose a prominent risk to public health. As chicken [...] Read more.
The control of Salmonella in chicken processing plants is an ongoing challenge for many factories around the globe, especially with the increasing demand for poultry escalating processing throughputs. Foodborne outbreaks due to Salmonella still pose a prominent risk to public health. As chicken meat is a good reservoir for Salmonella, it is important for chicken processing plants to continuously optimize methods to reduce the incidence of Salmonella on their products. Current methods include the use of chemical antimicrobials such as chlorine-containing compounds and organic acids. However, these current methods are decreasing in popularity due to the rising rate of Salmonella resistance, coupled with the challenge of preserving the sensory properties of the meat, along with the increasing stringency of antimicrobial use. Bacteriophages are becoming more appealing to integrate into the large-scale hurdle concept. A few factors need to be considered for successful implementation, such as legislation, and application volumes and concentrations. Overall, bacteriophages show great potential because of their host specificity, guaranteeing an alternative outcome to the selective pressure for resistant traits placed by chemicals on whole microbial communities. Full article
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