Classification of Greek meat products on the basis of pH and aw values

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to classify the Greek meat products in easily perishable, perishable and self-stable on the basis of their pH and a w values according to ROEDEL's (1975) criteria that were adopted by EU for the storage and transport of them. The pH and a w values of Greek meat products produced with minced meat (raw sausages, fermented, semi-dry and heat processed) as well as from whole pieces of meat were measured and grouped in the above mentioned three categories. The conclusions reached were that : 1. The two parameters are greatly influenced by the way of manufacture and recipe. 2. Certain meat products within the same group were classified in all the above mentioned three categories with the most noticable example the raw sausages, heat processed and semi-dry products belonging in the easily perishable, perishable and self-stable categories due to their wide range of pH and a w values while the fermented products were classified in the stable category.