Evaluation of the effect of marination processes on the quality and safety of pork products

The first section of this study investigated how marination conditions including; tumbling time, presence/absence of vacuum and presence of 0.5% Cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) affects quality characteristics of pork loin. Tumble time did not influence percent pick-up, cook yield or fat content. Absence of vacuum increased pick-up, with a 2.52% pick-up with vacuum compared to 5.76% without vacuum, at 15 min tumbling without CPC. Presence of vacuum improved cook yield. Cook yield was 85.10% and 79.25% with and without vacuum respectively, both at 15 min tumbling with CPC. The second section focused on the effects of post-injection tumbling and tumbling duration in the presence of a potassium lactate solution. At 0%, 1% and 2% (w/w) of Purasal Hipure P Plus in final product, the growth of Listeria monocytogenes in ready-to-eat (RTE) marinated pork loin, cook yield and overall yield were significantly affected. Neither post-injection tumbling nor tumbling duration had an effect on growth of L. monocytogenes, cook yield or overall yield.