Hyperbaric storage at variable room temperature - A new preservation methodology for minced meat compared to refrigeration.

Hyperbaric storage (HS) at variable room temperature (RT) has been proposed as an alternative to refrigeration at atmospheric pressure (RF/AP) for food preservation. Little information is available regarding the effect of HS in meat products. In this study the RT/HS effect was evaluated at 100MPa and variable RT (approximate to 20 degrees C) for minced meat preservation up to 24h, initially for one batch. A further two different batches were studied independently. Microbiological and physicochemical parameters were analyzed to assess the feasibility of RT/HS, using storage at RF/AP and variable RT/AP (approximate to 20 degrees C), for comparison. A post-hyperbaric storage (post-HS) was also tested over 4days at RF/AP. For the first batch the results showed that RT/HS allowed a decrease of the total aerobic mesophile value (P<0.05) when compared to the initial sample, whereas at RF/AP and RT/AP, values increased to > 6 Log CFU g(-1) after 24h. Similarly, Enterobacteriaceae increased > 1 and > 2 Log CFU g(-1) at RF/AP and RT/AP, respectively, while yeasts and molds presented similar and lower overall loads compared to the initial samples for all storage conditions, whereas RT/HS always allowed lower counts to be obtained. Regarding pH, lipid oxidation, and color parameters, RT/HS did not cause significant changes when compared to RF/AP, except after 24h, where pH increased. The three batches presented similar results, the differences observed being mainly due to the heterogeneity of the samples. RT/HS is a potential quasi-energetic costless alternative to RF for at least short-term preservation of minced meat. (c) 2018 Society of Chemical Industry