Pork Leg Research Articles

An Investigation of Food Poisoning Outbreak among Meeting Attendees in Pattaya City, Thailand, following Post-pandemic Kitchen Reopening, August 2022

On 9 Aug 2022, meeting attendees at Hotel B in Pattaya City developed gastrointestinal symptoms during a tourism reopening after Thailand had transitioned to the post-COVID-19 phase. We investigated to confirm the diagnosis, describe outbreak characteristics, identify possible sources and risk factors of the outbreak, and provide recommendations. A food poisoning case was an individual staying in Hotel B on 8–9 Aug 2022 and experienced at least one of the following symptoms: diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain. We sent a self-administered questionnaire to all attendees and interviewed the cases. Food preparation and processing were examined. We swabbed kitchenware and food handlers’ hands and collected water samples for bacterial culture. We conducted a retrospective cohort study and used Poisson regression with a robust standard error model. Fifty-five percent of the attendees responded to the questionnaire; the attack rate was 34%. Common symptoms were diarrhea (100%) and abdominal pain (80%). The median incubation period was 7–13 hours. Stewed pork leg with kale had the highest adjusted risk ratio of 27.82x106 (95% CI 9.06x106–85.44x106). It was reported as cold with an unusual smell and taste. We found Bacillus cereus and Aeromonas spp. on kitchenware and in filtered water. The incubation period, symptoms, and laboratory results suggested that Bacillus cereus was the most likely pathogen from the stewed pork leg. We recommended sanitizing the kitchen and kitchenware, promoting food sanitary awareness, and ensuring the quality of water supply system, particularly for hotels preparing to reopen after prolonged closure.

Spontaneously growing fungi on the surface and processing areas of matured sheep ham and volatile compounds produced

Raw ham is a dried and matured product traditionally made from pork leg, but other animals, such as sheep, can be used. The natural presence of bacteria and fungi in this product influences its characteristics throughout the process. This study analysed the fungal populations present during raw sheep hams' processing. Two types of products were developed: without and with the addition of seasonings. Mycological analyses were carried out from the ingredients, seasonings, facilities air, as well as on the surfaces of the hams and the air in the chamber throughout the maturation period (0, 45, 90, and 180 days) using 18 % dichloran glycerol agar and the data were submitted to Principal Component Analysis. Volatile compounds were evaluated at the end of the sheep ham manufacturing process through a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. At 45 days of aging, a more remarkable similarity was observed between the fungi present on the non-seasoned hams and those in the ripening chamber’s air, while the seasoned hams showed a more evident relation with those fungi present in the spices. With time, the fungi in the air of the ripening chamber started to be influenced by Aspergillus ser. Aspergillus and Aspergillus ser. Rubri already installed in the seasoned hams at 45 days, and then it probably dispersed the non-seasoned ones due to the airborne spores, becoming the most prevalent in both treatments at 90 days. At the end of ripening, the mycobiota of both raw hams was composed mainly by xerophilic species of Aspergillus section Aspergillus. The total fungal count was 5.78 log CFU/cm2 for the non-seasoned and 7.19 log CFU/cm2 for the seasoned ones. A potentially ochratoxigenic Aspergillus ser. Circumdati was detected at the end of aging in raw, unseasoned hams. In conclusion, seasoning directly influences the species developing on the surface of seasoned hams throughout the ripening process, and indirectly affects the mycobiota of the non-seasoned hams when sharing the same ripening chamber. The presence of fungi in the matured sheep ham seems to contribute to the formation of volatile compounds, which are related to the sensory quality of these products.

Research on production technology of smoked-dried salted pork leg meat to ensure food hygiene and safety

Salted and smoked pork leg products (Ham) have become prevalent in the world for a long time. Although these foods have appeared in Vietnam for a few years, consumers warmly received them due to their tasty specificity. The quality of this product group is affected by several technological factors, including the composition of salty solution and additives, the technique of bringing meat, the heat treatment process (drying, smoking, steaming), and storage conditions. Therefore, the research of production technology to ensure food safety and hygiene are essential. Furthermore, level 2 orthogonal experimental matrix and optimization of technological factors have been applied for the best product quality. The study provides a perfect example of the production technology of bringing and drying meat products to ensure food hygiene and safety for consumers, contributing to promoting the domestic meat processing industry to develop in the direction of industrialization, safety, and integration.

A proteomic approach for in-depth characterization and understanding the impact of immunocastration on dry-cured ham of male and female pigs

Dry-cured ham is a high-quality product elaborated through a long and complex process. To ensure the success of the process, it is necessary to select the most suitable pork leg and one of the major factors is pig castration. Due to animal welfare, pig castration is becoming a paramount issue in recent years. The proteomic differences of dry-cured ham from immunecastrated pigs against entire females, as well as, between immunecastrated pigs and surgically castrated males were analysed.The identification and quantification of proteins were carried out by sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS). A total of 249 proteins were identified across the samples of dry-cured ham, resulting in 17 and 37 differentially abundant proteins in the case of males and females, respectively. In the case of males, a high abundance of structural proteins in dry-cured ham from surgically castrated animals as well as a high abundance of trypsinogen and proteosome subunit C9-like protein with protease activity in samples from immunocastrated males suggests that immunocastration impact on myofibrils of dry-cured ham. Regarding females, the immunocastration provoked an increase of abundance in several structural proteins of the myosin heavy chain (MYH7, MYH7B and MYH4) and a decrease in others (ACTN2, TNNT3, MYL3 and TCAP) concerning entire. Overall, MYH4 and ACT were found to a greater degree in immunocastrated males and females indicating a potential for biomarkers.

Combined Effect of Post-Slaughtering Storage and Single Beam Irradiation on Physiochemical Quality of Pork Leg Meat Stored at Different Temperatures

Combined Effect of Post-Slaughtering Storage and Single Beam Irradiation on Physiochemical Quality of Pork Leg Meat Stored at Different Temperatures

High‐intensity ultrasound as a pre‐treatment of pork sub‐primals for further processing of meat

AbstractThe effect of high‐intensity ultrasound (HIU) on technological and consumer acceptance of whole pork leg sub‐primals was evaluated. Sub‐primals (‘inside’, ‘knuckle’, ‘inner shank’, ‘eye of round’ and ‘shank off’) were processed following standard industrial pork processing for deboned legs in Mexico. They were allocated to one of the three treatments; HIU (22 W/cm2 and 37 kHz) for 0, 10 or 30 min. Sub‐primals were injected (10% w/v NaCl), tumbled and ultrasonicated. After 15 d of freezing storage, sub‐primals were thawed following common industrial practice. HIU increased the pH and water‐holding capacity and reduced fluid losses after thawing up to 50% (P < 0.05). Meat colour was not affected by HIU, but it significantly reduced shear force (P < 0.001). HIU slightly decreased the consumer preference and acceptance due to a saltier perception. Nevertheless, HIU application offered a clear advantage with positive effects on technological properties of pork for further processing.

Preparation and sensory analysis of pork hamburger with implementation of soy lecithin and reduction of sodium

The objective of the present study was to elaborate four pork hamburger treatments and to evaluate the parameters of appearance, taste, texture, color and aroma with the participation of untrained tasters through the sensorial analysis of acceptance by hedonic scale of nine points, in addition to examining the intention to purchase and indication for each treatment, formulation A, control treatment, treatment B with partial reduction of sodium content, treatment C with the implementation of soy lecithin and treatment D with implementation of soy lecithin and partial reduction of the sodium content. For the base formulation was made a mixture of coriander, garlic, onion, white pepper, ascorbic acid, added in pork leg and water. According to the Friedman test, treatment D obtained the best results for the appearance attribute. And the flavor was a question that presented a significant statistical difference (P

A Salute to PVT TIM HiLL: Indispensable Amino Acids and Global Human Health

Students are taught the study mnemonic “PVT TIM HiLL” to memorize the 9 indispensable amino acids (IAA): phenylalanine, valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, leucine, and lysine. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recommended that IAA be treated as individual nutrients on food labels because “crude protein ” alone does not indicate protein quality. Protein quality—determined by Digestible Indispensable Amino Acid Score (DIAAS)—is calculated for 3 life stages: birth to 6 months, 6 months to 3 years, and 3 years and older. Foods possessing DIAAS greater than 100 are “excellent” protein quality, and those with DIAAS between 75 and 99 are “good,” whereas foods with DIAAS < 75 cannot make a protein claim. Processing, heating, and/or grinding can decrease or improve plant and animal IAA digestibility. For children 6 months to 3 years of age, ground pork, smoked-cooked bacon, cooked pork leg, cured ham, cooked pork loin, salami, beef/pork bologna, beef jerky, and medium and medium rare beef ribeye steaks can be described as “excellent.” A range of research has reported that cooked ground beef can be classified as “good” or “excellent,” whereas the Impossible® (Impossible Foods, Redwood City, CA) and Beyond® (Beyond Meat Inc., El Segundo, CA) meat-alternative burgers and well-done ribeye can be classified as “good ” sources of IAA for young children. For persons aged > 3 years, all meat categories but cooked ground beef can be classified “excellent” sources of IAA. For meat alternatives, Impossible Burger could be classified as “excellent,” but Beyond Burger could only claim to be “good.” Protein quality claims for individual food ingredients can be diminished when the food is consumed with a lower protein quality item such as a wheat flour bun. To provide meals that are adequate in all IAA, the protein quality in each food item must be determined. Mixed meals must be adjusted for protein quality by combining low-quality proteins (present in cereals and grains) with higher-quality proteins (present in foods of animal origin).

Effects of Dietary Defatted Meat Species on Metabolomic Profiles of Murine Liver, Gastrocnemius Muscle, and Cecal Content.

In both humans and animals, meat not only constitutes one of the sources of protein, but also includes various water-soluble bioactive substances such as imidazole peptides (carnosine and anserine) and taurine. Previous studies demonstrated that dietary meat species could differently affect physiological functions; however, the mechanisms of this remain unclear. To explore the physiological effects of dietary defatted meat species, especially on metabolism, we investigated their influence on the metabolomic profiles of the liver, gastrocnemius muscle, and cecal content in mice. Casein (control) or a defatted meat species (beef leg, pork leg, chicken leg, or chicken breast) was supplied as the major protein source in the diet for four weeks, and metabolism-related molecules were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. We found that various metabolite levels in tissues and cecal content differed according to the types of dietary protein consumed. Specifically, differences in carnosine, 1,5-anhydro-glucitol, inositol, butyric acid, and propionic acid were clearly observed. Among them, the highest carnosine intake by dietary pork leg was clearly related to the highest carnosine level in the liver. In addition, taurine intake was suggested to be linked to some metabolic pathways including taurine and hypotaurine metabolism in cecal content. These results provide additional knowledge of the effects of different dietary meat species on human and animal health.

Effect of a Debaryomyces hansenii and Lactobacillus buchneri Starter Culture on Aspergillus westerdijkiae Ochratoxin A Production and Growth during the Manufacture of Short Seasoned Dry-Cured Ham.

Recently, specific dry-cured hams have started to be produced in San Daniele and Parma areas. The ingredients are similar to protected denomination of origin (PDO) produced in San Daniele or Parma areas, and include pork leg, coming from pigs bred in the Italian peninsula, salt and spices. However, these specific new products cannot be marked as a PDO, either San Daniele or Parma dry cured ham, because they are seasoned for 6 months, and the mark PDO is given only to products seasoned over 13 months. Consequently, these products are called short-seasoned dry-cured ham (SSDCH) and are not branded PDO. During their seasoning period, particularly from the first drying until the end of the seasoning period, many molds, including Eurotium spp. and Penicillium spp., can grow on the surface and work together with other molds and tissue enzymes to produce a unique aroma. Both of these strains typically predominate over other molds. However, molds producing ochratoxins, such as Aspergillus ochraceus and Penicillium nordicum, can simultaneously grow and produce ochratoxin A (OTA). Consequently, these dry-cured hams may represent a potential health risk for consumers. Recently, Aspergillus westerdijkiae has been isolated from SSDCHs, which could represent a potential problem for consumers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to inhibit A. westerdijkiae using Debaryomyces hansenii or Lactobacillus buchneri or a mix of both microorganisms. Six D. hansenii and six L. buchneri strains were tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit A. westerdijkiae. The strains D. hansenii (DIAL)1 and L. buchneri (Lb)4 demonstrated the highest inhibitory activity and were selected for in situ tests. The strains were inoculated or co-inoculated on fresh pork legs for SSDCH production with OTA-producing A. westerdijkiae prior to the first drying and seasoning. At the end of seasoning (six months), OTA was not detected in the SSDCH treated with both microorganisms and their combination. Because both strains did not adversely affect the SSDCH odor or flavor, the combination of these strains are proposed for use as starters to inhibit OTA-producing A. westerdijkiae.

Toward the Prediction of the PSE-Like Muscle Defect in Cooked Hams

Pale Soft Exudative (PSE)-like muscle defect is of great importance in the cooked ham industry because of the economic losses it can cause. The flagship product is the “Jambon supérieur,” a polyphosphate-free cooked ham, usually sold sliced and packaged. Slicing is an automatic process that reveals the defect as holes in the slice leading to slicing losses. Up to now, the PSE-like defect has only been detected on raw meat after deboning the pork leg because it affects the inner part of the semimembranosus muscles and also the adductor muscles. The objective of this study was to develop innovative approaches that combine mechanistic elucidation and the discovery of potential biomarkers (i) at the level of the muscle and (ii) at the level of the live animal by analyzing proteins from plasma. The use of chemometrics for the spectral fingerprinting of pig plasma was chosen to predict the PSE-like muscle defect in raw hams.

Combined impacts of initial freezing rate of pork leg muscles (M. biceps femoris and M. semitendinosus) and subsequent freezing on quality characteristics of pork patties

The objective of this study was to determine the combined impacts of initial sub-primal freezing with subsequent freezing of manufactured pork patties on quality attributes and oxidative stability. Patties were manufactured (n = 3 batches) from pork leg muscles (M. biceps femoris and M. semitendinosus) frozen at different methods including still-air freezing (SAF), blast freezing (BF), and cryogenic freezing (CF). Then, patties were subjected to additional freezing treatments. Frozen/thawed patties exhibited increased cooking loss, springiness, and chewiness, lipid and protein oxidation, and decreased protein solubility compared to unfrozen counterparts (P < .05). However, patties from CF legs maintained similar protein solubility and lipid/protein oxidation compared to unfrozen controls (P > .05), while significantly minimizing sub-primal thawing loss and oxidation compared to patties from SAF. The results of the present study suggest the importance of initial freezing rate of sub-primals with subsequent freezing on quality characteristics of frozen/thawed meat patties.

Nutrient content of key cuts of pork in the UK

AbstractA new analytical survey on key cuts of pork sold in the UK has been undertaken to determine the current nutrient content of commonly consumed pork cuts and leaner cuts of pork that are becoming more popular. The last government analytical survey on pork for the UK food composition tables was carried out in 1992, and it has been suggested that production methods and feed have changed. Pork fillet medallions, loin medallions, loin steaks and leg joints were purchased from retail outlets to represent pork consumed in the UK and prepared for analysis between January and February 2019. Nutrient values for a wide range of compounds (proximates, inorganics and vitamins) were determined by accredited laboratories. A selection of the results, highlighting some of the main changes are presented. The most noticeable changes since 1992 can be seen in fat where levels have fallen in the lean component of three raw cuts (fillet, loin medallions and loin steak). This has impacted the amount of fat found within the popular pork cuts containing both lean and fat portions. Other changes in both the lean only portion and cuts as purchased are lower amounts of iodine and vitamin B12 and higher amounts of vitamin E and niacin. Even after these changes, 100 g of cooked pork still provides a good proportion of an adult’s daily thiamin, niacin, selenium and vitamin B12 requirements with the lean portion of grilled pork loin steak being slightly lower in fat. Fat levels in the lean portion of the roasted pork leg joint had increased slightly; however, the previous value from 1992 was low compared with other cuts at the time. These results provide an insight into the changes made in pig production, including new breeds and changes in pig diet and supplementation. The results will be included in future updates of the UK Composition of Foods Integrated Dataset and incorporated into Public Health England’s nutrient databank which supports the National Diet and Nutrition Survey.

Characterization of the Key Aroma Compounds in Traditional Hunan Smoke-Cured Pork Leg (Larou, THSL) by Aroma Extract Dilution Analysis (AEDA), Odor Activity Value (OAV), and Sensory Evaluation Experiments.

The key aroma compounds in smoke-cured pork leg were characterized by gas chromatography–olfactometry coupled with aroma extract dilution analysis (GC–O/AEDA), odor activity value (OAV), recombination modeling, and omission tests. Ranking analysis showed that pork leg smoke-cured for 18 days had the best sensory qualities, with strong meaty, smoky, roasty, woody, and greasy attributes. Thirty-nine aroma-active regions with flavor dilution (FD) factors ranging from 9 to 6561 were detected. Overall, 3-ethylphenol had the highest FD factor of 6561, followed by 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, 3,4-dimethylphenol, 4-ethylguaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol, 3-methylphenol, and 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, with FD ≥243. Among 39 aroma compounds, 27 compounds with OAVs ≥1 and were potent odorants. A similarity of 90.73% between the recombination model and traditional Hunan Smoke-cured Pork Leg (THSL) sample was obtained. Omission tests further confirmed that (E)-2-nonenal, 2-methoxy-4-vinylphenol, guaiacol, 3-ethylphenol, 2,6-dimethylphenol, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, and methional were key odorants in smoke-cured pork leg. Additionally, 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline (38.88 μg/kg), which contributes to a roasty aroma, was characterized here as a key odorant of smoke-cured pork leg for the first time.

The technological meat quality of the White Mangalitsa breed

The technological meat quality of the White Mangalitsa breed

Effects of Number of Washes and Salt Treatment on the Quality Characteristics of Protein Recovered from Alaska Pollock and Pork Leg.

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of number of washes and salt addition on the meat quality in protein recovered from Alaska Pollock compared with pork leg. Various properties of protein recovered from Alaska Pollock (C, washed twice, no salt) and pork leg (T1, washed twice, no salt; T2, two washes, salt added; T3, washed four times, no salt; and T4, washed four times, salt added) were assessed in this study. Pork leg samples exhibited better color (more whiteness, less yellowness) than Alaska Pollock samples. In pork leg samples, four washes (T3, T4) during processing yielded whiter, less yellow protein than two washes (T1, T2). Overall, the textural property measures were higher in pork leg samples (T2, T3, and T4) than in other samples. Breaking force, jelly strength, and folding resistance were significantly higher in salt-treated pork leg samples (T2, T4) than in the other samples. Our findings demonstrate that protein recovered from pork leg has better color parameters, and physical strength compared with Alaska Pollock-derived protein. A higher number of wash steps and treatment with salt during processing were furthermore found to yield better color, and physical strength in the protein samples.

Comparison of rapid techniques for classification of ground meat

Computer vision and near infrared spectroscopy are fast and non-invasive techniques currently available for processing control in the meat industry. These techniques can be used, either separately or combined, for on-line assessment of meat quality parameters. This study aimed to compare a portable near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer, near infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) and red, green and blue imaging (RGB-I) to differentiate ground samples from beef, pork and chicken meat; and to quantify amounts of each in mixtures. Chicken breast meat was adulterated with either pork leg meat or beef round meat from 0 to 50% (w/w). Partial Least Squares regression (PLSR) models were performed using full spectra and after selecting most important wavelengths. The best results were obtained with NIR-HSI, with coefficient of prediction (RP2) of 0.83 and 0.94, ratio performance to deviation (RPD) of 1.96 and 3.56, and ratio of error range (RER) of 10.0 and 18.1, for samples of chicken adulterated with pork and beef, respectively. In addition, the results obtained using NIR spectroscopy and RGB-I confirm that these techniques provide an alternative for rapid, on-line inspection of ground meat in the food industry.

Quality Assessment of Fresh Meat from Several Species Based on Free Amino Acid and Biogenic Amine Contents during Chilled Storage.

This paper studies the changes that occur in free amino acid and biogenic amine contents of raw meats (beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey) during storage (2 °C, 10 days). The meat cuts samples were harvested from a retail outlet (without getting information on the animals involved) as the following: Beef leg (four muscles), pork leg (five muscles), lamb leg (seven muscles), turkey leg (four muscles), and chicken breast (one muscle). Meat composition varied according to meat types. In general, pH, microbiology counts, biogenic amine (BA), and free amino acid (FAA) contents were also affected by meat types and storage time (p < 0.05). Chicken and turkey presented the highest levels (p < 0.05) of FAAs. Total free amino acids (TFAA) were higher (p < 0.05) in white meats than in red ones. The behavior pattern, of the total free amino acids precursors (TFAAP) of Bas, was saw-toothed, mainly in chicken and turkey meat during storage, which limits their use as quality indexes. Spermidine and spermine contents were initially different among the meats. Putrescine was the most prevalent BA (p < 0.05) irrespective of species. In general, chicken and turkey contained the highest (p < 0.05) levels of BAs, and TFAAP of BAs. In terms of the biogenic amine index (BAI), the quality of chicken was the worst while beef meat was the only sample whose quality remained acceptable through the study. This BAI seems to be more suitable as a quality index for white meat freshness than for red meat, especially for beef.

A Dietary Management System Using Radio-Frequency Identification Technology to Collect Information on Chinese Food Consumption: Development and Feasibility Study.

BackgroundDietary management is important for personal health. However, it is challenging to record quantified food information in an efficient, accurate, and sustainable manner, particularly for the consumption of Chinese food.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to develop a dietary management system to record information on consumption of Chinese food, which can help in assessing individuals’ dietary intake and maintaining healthy eating behaviors. We proposed to use plates embedded with radio-frequency identification chips to carry Chinese foods and collect food consumption data.MethodsWe obtained food composition and nutrient (eg, carbohydrate, fat, fiber) data from the Chinese Recipe Database and China Food Composition Database. To test the feasibility of the dietary management system at a population level, we applied it to collect data on 489 Chinese foods that were consumed at lunchtime across 7 weeks by 10,528 individuals. To test individual-level output, we selected an individual participant with completed 20-day dietary data for analysis. We examined the system’s nutrient calculation performance by comparing the nutrient values of 3 selected Chinese dishes calculated by our method with the results of chemical measurements.ResultsWe collected the dietary intake for a group of 10,528 individuals aged from 20 to 40 years having lunch in a restaurant across 7 weeks. A total of 489 Chinese dishes were identified. We analyzed a specified customer’s diet recordings and broke his or her 20 lunch diet recordings down to ingredients and then to nutrient intake. We compared the nutrient value of a given Chinese dish (eg, garlic puree cooked pork leg) calculated by our method with the results of chemical measurements. The mean absolute percentage deviation showed that our method enabled collection of dietary intake for Chinese foods.ConclusionsThis preliminary study demonstrated the feasibility of radio-frequency identification–based dietary management for Chinese food consumption. In future, we will investigate factors such as preparation method, weight of food consumed, and auxiliary ingredients to improve dietary assessment accuracy.

UAV Drive Units Testing at Pork Tissue

This article deals with the influence of propulsive units of unmanned vehicles on living tissue. More preciselyit describes physical tests performed on pork tissue. In the first part of the article, there is a brief descriptionof current situation regarding injuries of people caused by UAV. There are similar tests from other researchersdescribed and given reasons why the tests were made. In the next part of the article, the authors describethe selection of components needed for testing and the entire preparation of the tests from the selection ofengines and propellers till the construction of the testing mechanism. Description of the course of the testsand the evaluation of the results follows. The tests were static only. This means that the propulsive units wereapproaching the test samples (pork leg and ribs) at a very low forward speed. The evaluation of the results is notcomplete. This is due to the fact that all of the scheduled tests have not been carried out yet neither has themedical injury analysis been finished. It is still a work in progress. The last part summarizes the findings andgives brief plans for further tests.