"Uzice Beef Prshuta": Influence of different salting processes on sensory properties

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine salt penetration dynamics during the muscle-salting process with and without vacuum. tumbling, as well as to investigate the influence of these two different salting treatments on sensory properties of "Uzice Beef Prshuta," a traditional Serbian dry-cured meat product. Twenty-four samples of two different muscles obtained from beef carcasses were analyzed: 12 M. semitendinosus (MS) and 12 M. longissimus lumborum et thoracis (ML). After salting, six MS and six ML were immediately left in the salting chamber, while the other six MS and six ML were first submitted to vacuum tumbling process and then left in the same salting room separately from the previous batch. Determination of chloride content was conducted in three layers (layer A = 1 cm in depth from external surface; layer B = I cm in depth from layer A; and layer C = central part) of the shaped muscles during whole salting process. Sensory evaluation of ripened product "Uzice Beef Prshuta " was carried out in regard to five selected sensory characteristics using a 5-level scale. Each of the four experimental groups of muscles had a similar trend of salt penetration during the salting period. A salt content of about 2.5% necessary for preservation was achieved on the third day for layer C of vacuum-tumbled ML, on the fifth day for vacuum-tumbled MS and nonvacuum-tumbled ML, and on the seventh day for nonvacuum-tumbled MS. Analysis of variance showed no significant differences (P lt 0.01) in total sensory quality between the four groups of samples. It is justified to include vacuum tumbling into the traditional way of "Uzice Beef Prshuta" production.