Scientific journal "Meat Technology"

A hygiene report regarding slaughter process of pig and cattle carcasses for 2017 in Serbia

Lazar Milojevic — 2018-08-28

For the successful validation and verification of the HACCP system, a food business operator is obliged, among other duties, to have continuous microbiological data of carcasses which are followed by a certain dynamic that the subject himself prescribed. To obtain these data, it is necessary to perform systematic monitoring of indicator microorganisms. The most important meat hygiene indicators are Total Viable Counts (TVC) and Enterobacteriaceae (EC). TVC are defined as indicators of overall slaughter hygiene (equipment, environment, tools, workers), while EC are indicators of faecal contamination on carcasses. The aim of this study was to determine the microbial contamination of cattle and pig carcasses, level of hygiene of the slaughter process as well as whether variations hygiene levels were related to seasonality in Serbia during 2017. The year was divided into four quarters of three months each, while the microbiological results were classified into three levels of hygiene status (unsatisfactory, satisfactory or acceptable). The highest percentage of the results surveyed during the entire study was at a satisfactory hygiene level. Furthermore, we found there were differences in results between the quarters, which could be associated with seasonality. The best microbiological results, and so the best hygiene of carcasses, was recorded in the period April, May, June, while the worst microbiological results were observed in the period of July, August and September.

Evaluation of pig welfare in lairage and process hygiene in a single abattoir

Ivan Nastasijevic — 2018-08-28

: Food safety is indirectly affected by the welfare of food animals, due to close links between animal welfare, animal health and food borne diseases. Stress factors and poor welfare can lead to increased susceptibility to disease among animals and may intensify the fecal shedding of food borne pathogens, e.g. Salmonella, Campylobacter, Yersinia, and human pathogenic STEC in the pre-slaughter phase: on-farm, in transport and in lairage. This study evaluated two aspects: a) assessment of pig welfare in abattoir lairage founded on animal-based categories, and b) the relationship between pig welfare and microbial process hygiene at slaughter. The results revealed that the animal-based category ‘manure on the body’ assessed in abattoir lairage corresponded with microbial process hygiene at slaughter.

Analysis of beef meat quality in a slaughterhouse in Raska district

Milos Z Petrovic — 2018-08-28

The quality of slaughtered animals is a subject of interest, for both primary production and the meat industry. Classification of the carcasses is performed in slaughterhouses immediately after a veterinary examination and measurement of the carcasses weight. The present study examined the quality of young cattle carcasses in a slaughterhouse in the Raska district, according to the standard applied in the EU but not in Serbia. In total, 100 cattle carcasses (young bulls) were examined. For meat quality evaluation and grading, the following parameters according to the European standard for the classification of cattle carcasses SEUROP were used: slaughter weight, carcass weight and carcass yield, i.e. the carcass conformation, development of the muscles of the carcass as well as the development of basic parts (round, back and shoulder) and the degree of carcass fat tissue coverage.

Evaluation of the diet supplementation strategy on the flesh quality and fatty acid profiles in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L)

Dejana Trbovic — 2018-08-28

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of three supplementary diets on the nutritional quality of marketable common carp. Supplementary diets (Carp1–maize, Carp2–extruded and Carp3–pelleted feed) exhibited significantly different (p≤0.05) influences on the protein, lipids, moisture and ash content in market-sized carp. The most abundant saturated FA (SFA) was palmitic acid (C16:0), the most predominant monounsaturated FA (MUFA) was oleic acid (C18:1n-9), and the most abundant polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) was linoleic acid (C18:2n-6). The highest content of SFAs was established in Carp1 (24.57% and 1888.72 mg/100 g wet fillet). MUFAs were presented in the highest quantities (61.77%, i.e. 4854.91 mg/100 g wet fillet) in Carp1, and PUFA accounted the highest quantities (33.48%, i.e. 1763.01 mg/100 g wet fillet) in Carp3. The most nutritionally beneficial n-6/n-3 ratio was obtained in Carp2 (5.83). The results obtained in this study indicate that introducing supplementary diets containing extruded or pelleted feed instead of maize improved carp nutritional quality. PCA (principal component analysis) and LDA (linear discriminant analysis) of the FAs demonstrated that carp could be reliably classified based on their supplementary feed.

Characterization of Bosnia and Herzegovina honey according to their physico-chemical properties during 2016-2017

Jelena Ciric — 2018-08-29

This study was conducted to evaluate the quality of 78 honey samples (Acacia, sage- Salvia officinalis L., linden, chestnut, honeydew and blossom) from Bosnia and Herzegovina. Reducing sugars, sucrose content, moisture, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), free acidity, water-insoluble content, diastase activity, electrical conductivity were analyzed. The samples of honey, collected during the 2016 -2017 season, were analyzed by using recommendation methods. Results show that in 2016 and 2017, a great number of honey samples were of insufficient quality to satisfy regulatory requirements. Among the overall determined parameters, hydroxymethylfurfural and diastase activities in same honey samples were not accepted by national and international regulation. A correlation between free acidity and electrical conductivity was found in acacia and blossom honey samples. The correlation between HMF content and diastase activity showed strong negative relationship. The quality of honey was varied based on botanical origins, handling and storage conditions.

The safety and quality of sous vide food

Natasa Kilibarda — 2018-08-28

The demands of contemporary health conscious consumers are increasingly focused on minimally processed, convenient and affordable food that retains its natural sensory qualities along with nutritional value. In order to fully respond to these expectations, the use of sous vide processing technology, which refers to cooking vacuum-sealed food in heat-stable plastic pouches under precisely monitored conditions, has been widely adopted. Due to the low temperatures of sous vide processing, most research on this processing method is associated with biological hazards such as Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus and Clostridium botulinum. Not only has sous vide long been accepted by the food industry, in recent years, it has also been applied in households and in restaurants which are searching for innovative ways to attract more health conscious consumers. In this review, the authors present basic techniques, benefits and disadvantages of sous vide cooking and consider the great efforts the modern food industry is undertaking to extend shelf-life, ensure microbiological safety and maintain nutritional and organoleptic quality of sous vide food products.

Being a vegetarian: health benefits and hazards

Svetlana Stanisic — 2018-08-29

Although their anatomical features disclose the herbivorous nature of humans, an omnivorous diet can be considered an evolutionary advantage that has supported human survival. Over recent decades, vegetarianism has significantly increased in developed countries due to the support of scientific research, emerging supermarkets and restaurants, and easy-to-access soy products and healthy foods. According to current knowledge, vegetarian diets are associated with significantly lower prevalence of obesity and lower risk of cardiovascular mortality. However, while the overall risk of cancer is slightly lower in vegetarians, the findings regarding the location and type of cancer that can be prevented by vegetarian diets are inconclusive. In addition to this, it remains unclear whether health benefits of vegetarian diets can be attributed to the avoidance of meat, or to the increased intake of dietary fibre, n-6 fatty acids, vitamins C, B9 and E, potassium, magnesium and phyto-chemicals, or to both of these factors. As a vegetarian diet becomes more restrictive, intake of adequate daily energy and of n-3 fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamin B12, zinc, calcium and iron becomes more difficult to achieve, which is particularly challenging in children who have higher nutrient requirements relative to body weight than adults.

Meat in traditional Serbian cuisine

Milan Z. Baltic — 2018-08-29

The use of meat in traditional Serbian cuisine can be divided into three periods. The first period is the time from the arrival of Slavs in the Balkans, through the Middle Ages to the early 19th century. The second period, the 19th and the first half of the 20th centuries, can be marked as special due to significant changes that impacted traditional Serbian cuisine, compared to the first period. It was a period during which the Europeanization of Serbia took place in all spheres of life, including cuisine. After World War II, Serbia and many surrounding countries eperienced a great surge in industrialization in all economic fields, including that of food production. The last sixty years has seen the globalization of our food supply, with food being transported globally from one part of the world to another, and which resulted in neglected traditional, local cuisines. Therefore, many countries, including Serbia, recognize a need for preserving traditional cuisine. This recognition has initiated several mechanisms for maintaining Europe’s gastronomic heritage. Preservation of traditional cuisine in Serbia has special significance for tourism development.