EFFECT OF MODIFIED ATMOSPHERE PACKAGING AND TEMPERATURE ON THE SHELF LIFE OF SLICED PASTIRMA PRODUCED FROM FROZEN/THAWED MEAT

Abstract

ABSTRACT Pastirma is a dry‐cured meat product and is categorized as an intermediate moisture food. Nonsliced pastirma can be stored without refrigeration. Pastirma is consumed sliced without cooking. For preservation of quality characteristics, sliced pastirma needs to be packaged and stored at fairly low temperatures ( < 10C). In this study, pastirma was made from frozen M. Longissimus dorsi muscle stored at − 18C for 240 days and then thawed at 10C for 24 h. Pastirma produced from frozen/thawed meat was sliced. The sliced pastirma samples were stored in modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) (50% N 2 + 50% CO 2 ) at 4C and 10C for 150 days and thiobarbutiric acid reactive substances, free fatty acids, nonprotein nitrogen, pH, L *, a * and b * values, total aerobic and lactic acid bacteria, Micrococcus/Staphylococcus , yeast‐mold, and Enterobacteriaceae counts in sliced product were determined during storage (0, 30, 60, 90, 120 and 150 days). Results showed that sliced pastirma samples made from frozen/thawed meat and MAP can be stored at 4C and 10C for 150 days.