Processamento tecnológico de presunto clean label

Abstract

The growing demand for processed foods with natural ingredients has moved the industry to seek new product formulations with healthier compositions.The products called "clean label", gain prominence in the market, since in its composition it does not bring synthetic additives, but natural, in addition to a cleaner composition, with a little number of ingredients.Thus, the present work aimed to develop clean label cooked ham and to evaluate its physicochemical and microbiological properties, comparing it with a standard formulation (control). Isolated soybean protein, carrageenan, and synthetic additives healing salts (sodium and/or potassium nitrite and/or nitrate), sodium erythorbate, and sodium tripolyphosphate used in the cooked control ham were replaced by natural ingredients (beet juice powder, acerola powder, dehydrated vinegar, fermented sugar, and yeast extract).During the 42 days of storage, the hams were evaluated in terms of counting aerobic mesophilic microorganisms and lactic acid bacteria. Also, at the beginning of the samples' shelf life, the chemical composition was evaluated, as well as the physicochemical parameters of water activity, pH, instrumental color measurement, water holding capacity and shear force, and microbiological analyzes (positive coagulase Staphylococcuscounting, Escherichiacoli, Salmonellasp., Clostridiumreducing sulfite at 46 ° C, andListeriamonocytogenes).The controlsampleand clean label samples (named as F1, F2 and F3) reached the requirements of the legislation regarding physicochemical and microbiological parameters. During storage, the counts of mesophilic microorganisms and lactic acid bacteria demonstrate that the F1 sample showed greater stability during the 42 days of storage, as well as the F3 sample, showing the protective effect of the added natural antimicrobials, dehydrated vinegar, and fermented sugar, respectively.The F2 (without natural antimicrobial) and control samples were unsuitable for consumption from the 28thand 42ndday of storage, respectively. As for the physicochemical analyzes, a higher color intensity (C *), a higher hue angle (h °), and a higher yellowness (b *) were observed in cleanlabel samples (p ≤ 0.05). However, the luminosity (L *)and the redness (a *) were not affected (p > 0.05), demonstrating an efficient cure reaction. The pH values and water activity did not differ between formulations at the beginning of their shelf life (p > 0.05). Clean label formulations exhibited greater shear forcer, which may be related to the lower water holding capacity observed. The addition of natural ingredients to cooked hams has proven to be a viable technological alternative to replace synthetic additives.