Non-meat Ingredients

– second of the 3 major elements that make processed meats what they are

– recall that: 1) meat ingredients 2) non-meat ingredients 3) processing treatments

– gives controlled variety, distinctiveness, uniqueness

– important to know reasons for use (functions) and limits

– many are regulated by the USDA

1. Water

– not only a major component of meat but also a very important non-meat ingredient

a. dissolves, disperses other ingredients

i.e. salt, nitrite

b. yields

c. temperature control

d. improve palatability

– reminder– be aware of hard water, nitrite

– limited by product definitions ~ PFF, M:P, etc.

2. Salt (NaCl)– extremely fundamental to processed meats

--- “the original preservative”– “magic” ingredient ?

– no regulatory limit– except not permitted in baby foods

– review of functions

a. need salt for salt soluble proteins “activation”– emulsions, water binding, gelation, brine strength---

salt = 6 - 8% ideal water

b. need salt for water binding– isoelectric point shift from Cl-

additional functions for salt

c. flavor

– Na+

– acquired preference in taste

~ 2% becomes a detectable difference in flavor

– human nutritional requirement– 200-500 mg/day

– average consumption (3000-4000 mg/day) far exceeds requirement - MAJOR current issue due to close relationship to hypertension (1/3 of adult are hypertensive; 1/3 are “pre-hypertensive” )

– KCl can be a partial substitute

d. microbial effects– dramatic

– completely changes the dominant microbial population on meat– from gram– to gram +

– change form psychrophilic (Pseudomonas) to mesophilic (lactics) and spoilage is immediately slower and different

– very important to “shelf life”– brine strength of about 4%

– inhibits many pathogens but not all Staphylococci aureus is a risk in fermented products

and Clostridium botulinum in cooked non-refrigerated products. Listeria monocytogenes is also salt tolerant

Salt incorporation into meat products:

1. mix, chop

2. immersion cure

3. dry cure

4. injection

Injection solutions for curing hams, bacon, etc. sometimes need to be checked for salt content

– quick method is a salometer– float with 0 -100 scale

0o

50o

100o

– scale corresponds to % saturation 100% 100o = 26.5% salt

so: 50o salometer= ? % salt= 13.25% salt

Concerns for salt

1. Contaminants - – use high quality, food grade salt

2. hypertension induced by Na

– why?– consumption is ~3400 mg/day

– minimum nutritional requirement is 200-500 mg/day

Sodium Content of Foods (mg)

– table salt , 1 tsp 2358

– pickles, dill, 1 large 1731

– canned chicken soup, 1 cup 850

– sauerkraut, 1/2 cup 780

– pretzels, 1 oz 486

– cottage cheese, 1/2 cup 459

– sardines, 3 oz 429

– deli ham, 1 oz 341

– deli turkey breast, 1 oz 335

– soy sauce, 1 tsp 304

– cheese, American, 1 oz 304

– cornflakes, 1 cup 298

– olives, black, 5 large 192

– deli bologna, 1 oz 295

– potato chips, 1 oz 183

Why is sodium blamed for the problem of hypertension?

– hypothesis is based on the biological need to maintain a closely balanced Na:K ratio across cell membranes

– sodium in extracellular

– potassium is intracellular

K+Na+

– membrane function

depends on correct concentrations of each -

– if sodium goes up, more water is necessary to dilute the Na to the correct concentration

K+Na+

Na+

H2O

– thirst response following salt consumption

– increases blood volume and blood pressure, increases renal (kidney) function to remove excess Na and water

– in normal people, blood pressure returns to normal but in some (~ 30%), it stays high = hypertension

– several contributing causes – genetics

– dietary potassium (K)

– dietary calcium

– and, now, nitric oxide may be important

– not a simple relationship

– however it is important to let consumers know what is in processed meats

– Na is processed meats comes from several other ingredients besides NaCl --- Na nitrite, Na erythorbate, Na phosphates, Na lactate, etc. --- though none as much as NaCl

Recent re-emergence of issues

– New England Journal of Medicine, Jan. 2010

- reducing dietary salt could prevent “…thousands of heart attacks, strokes, etc and save $10-24 billion per year in health care costs…”

- “…benefits similar to not smoking and reducing obesity”.

- American Heart Assoc., Feb. 2010

- new recommendation for sodium of

1,500 mg/day, a change from previous

2, 300 mg/ day (1,500 mg = 2/3

teaspoon)

- New York City Department of Health

-encouraged food processors and

restaurants to reduce sodium content

A New York City-led partnership of cities, states and national health organizations

- proposed targets to guide a voluntary reduction

of salt levels in packaged and restaurant foods.

-overall target is 25% reduction in food products

over the next 5 years.

National Salt Reduction InitiativeJanuary, 2010

Institute of Medicine-National Academies-2010

– recommended that FDA review/revise the GRAS status of NaCl

– suggested a long term monitoring system to measure and track NaCl consumption

– suggested a tax incentive (deduction) for companies that provide low/reduced salt products

– suggested a tax disincentive (sales tax) on food products with high NaCl content

Dietary Guidelines for Americans – 2010, released Jan., 2011

– Reduce daily sodium to less than 2,300 mg (Tolerable Upper Intake Level) for adolescents and adults of all ages

– African-Americans, persons with hypertension, diabetes or kidney disease, or ages 51 and older should reduce intake to 1,500 mg/day or less

– “Adequate Intake” levels recommended are 1,000 mg for ages 1-3, 1,200 mg for ages 4-8, 1,300 mg for ages 51-70 and 1,200 mg for age 71 and older