Effects Of Salt Dosage On Quality Changes In Sichuan Bacon During Processing And Storage

The flavor substances of our traditional meat products are mainly from a series degradation changes of fat and protein during its processing and storage. Microbial enzymes can also influence the flavor through accelerating the degradation of fat and protein in natural conditions. The micro ecosystem and degradation of fat and protein could be influenced by salt dosage. Sichuan Bacon with different salt dosage (3%、4%、 5%、6%、7% of raw meat’s weight) were used as the research objects. Changes of sensory quality, fat, protein and microorganisms were assayed during processing and storage. The primary results and conclusions were listed as follows:(1) In the later storage, Aw, water content and pH had a negative correlation with salt dosage. The bacons, whose salt content was 3% and 4% of raw meat’s weight, could be stored for a long time and the quality was good after smoking. And the formation of flavor substances was associated with salt dosage in Sichuan Bacon. The higher the salt dosage was, the earlier the flavor formed. But the smell of ha could appear in a relatively early time because of the serious fat oxidation if the salt dosage was higher. The instruction indicated that higher salt dosage could not ensure better storage effects, and the proper reduction of salt could not only guarantee the storage period of products, but also make the bacon had better flavor and taste during storage.(2) During its processing and storage, the flavor substances of intramuscular lipids mainly came from the degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), while that of subcutaneous fat was largely from monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), saturated fatty acids (SFA). The acidity value(AV), thiobarbituric value (TBA) and peroxide value (POV) of intramuscular lipids were higher than these of subcutaneous fat. In later storage, the acidity value, POV and TBA of intramuscular lipids and subcutaneous fat had significant difference (p<0.05) in whole, and the biggest difference of the content of MUFA and PUFA of intramuscular lipids was over 6% in two sets of samples, while that of subcutaneous fat was higher than 7%. All these indicated that salt dosage had an impact on the degradation of intramuscular fat and subcutaneous fat.(3) The protein degradation mainly happened during salting and smoking stages. The degradation of myofibrillar protein mainly concentrated in the area of molecular weight greater than 99 KD, and more FAA would be produced when the salt dosage was 5% of raw meat’s weight. The salt dosage of bacon could inhibit the degradation of protein.(4) Lactic acid bacteria, staphylococci and micrococci, saccharomycetes grew better when the salt dosage was 4% of raw meat’s weight in the latter storage time. In the processing stage, lactic acid bacteria were dominant, followed by saccharomycetes, staphylococci and micrococci. After smoking and a period of storage, staphylococci and micrococci became the dominant bacteria. The salt dosage in bacon inhibited the growth of microorganisms.