06/03/2015

FundamentalsofMeatCuring|MeatScience

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Fundamentals of Meat Curing

2

Objectives:
(1) To show the functions of the various ingredients used in curing.
(2) To demonstrate the chemical reactions involved in the curing reaction.
(3) To acquaint the student with the various uses of the curing process in the meat
industry.
Reading material: Principles of Meat Science (3rd ed.), Chapter 7, pages 133 to 171.

Curing the addition of salt, sugar and nitrite or nitrate for the purposes of preservation,
flavor and color.
Functions:
Salt
Flavor
Antimicrobial
Enhancescuretransportthroughmeat

Sugar
Flavor
Counteractsharshnessofsalt
EnergyforbacteriathatchangeNO3>NO2

Nitrite or nitrate
Flavor
Preventswarmedoverflavor
Retardsrancidity
Curedpinkcolor
Antibotulinaleffect

The curing reaction

heat

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Myoglobin+nitricoxide>

nitricoxidemyoglobin

>

nitrosylhemochromogen

Generation of nitric oxide (NO)

NaNO3

>

Sodium
nitrate

Micrococcus

NaNO2

>

Sodium
nitrite

Glucono

aurantiacus

HONO

>
NO

Nitrous
acid

delta
lactone
(GDL)

Ascorbates

Nitric
oxide

Erythorbates

Application of cure ingredients

Dry curing the oldest way of curing meats. Curing ingredients are rubbed
on the surface of the meat to be cured.
Stitch pumping a long needle with multiple holes around the shaft is used.
Needle is inserted into meat and the curing solution (in water) is pumped
into the product.
Artery injection a large needle with only one hole in it is inserted into the
brachial or femoral artery and the cure solution is injected into the arterial
system.
Needle injection a machine with multiple needles that injects,
automatically, meat cuts with the curing solution. The most common way
meat is cured today

Amounts and times

Curetype

Mixture

Amount

Timeperiod

Drycure

1001

100lb

5weeks

Drysugarcure

533

1oz/lb

7days/inch

80

9days/inch

60

12days/inch

80

7days/inch

45

9days/inch

80IC+CPC

4days/inch

Coverpicklecure

Injectioncure(8to15%)

Combinationcure

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Industrycure(10to34%)

80IC+DSC

2days/inch

70IC

Smokeimmediately

Alkaline phosphates
Sodium tripolyphosphate > increase water-holding capacity.
Up to 5% of pickle, no more than 0.5% in finished product.

Protein-Fat Free (PFF) Basis 1985

Productname

Cookedham,
loin

Cooked
shoulder,butt,
picnic

Hampatties,
choppedham,
similar
products

CommonandUsual

20.5

20.0

19.5

(CommonandUsual)

18.5

18.0

17.5

17.0

16.5

16.0

<17.0

<16.5

<16.0

withNaturalJuices

(CommonandUsual)
WaterAdded

(CommonandUsual)andWater
ProductX%ofWeightisAdded
Ingredients

A prerequisite for USDA label approval of (Product name) and water product X% of
weight is added ingredients is a USDA approved quality control program. The maximum
percent of added ingredients in the finished product on a total weight basis would be
inserted as the X value. For example: Ham and Water Product 20% of Weight is Added
Ingredients.
Formula
PercentMeatProtein

PFF=

X100

100PercentFat

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Totalproteinbyanalysis=

16.4

Less:Calculatedproteinadded=

0.2

Meatprotein=

16.2

Totalfatbyanalysis=

10.0

16.2

PFF=

X100

18.0

10010

Review of Material What the student should know:

(1) The functions of salt, sugar, and saltpeter in meat curing.
(2) Various types of curing processes.
(3) Government regulations regarding PFF.

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