1. Classification of meat products
1) By raw materials: products made from livestock meat, poultry meat, fish, and game.
2) By processing techniques: cured products, braised products, smoked and grilled products, dried products, fried products, sausage products, ham products, canned meat products.
3) By origin: Chinese-style meat products and Western-style meat products.
4) By processing degree: unheated meat products and heated meat products.
2. Significance of meat product processing
1) To kill various microorganisms that contaminate raw meat, ensuring food hygiene and improving food safety.
2) To destroy or inhibit the activity of enzymes, extending the storage period of products.
3) To improve flavor, texture, and appearance, enhancing the quality of products.
4) To increase nutritional components and compensate for certain deficiencies in raw meat, improving the nutritional value of products.
5) To turn most meat products into ready-to-eat convenience foods, promoting disinfection and increasing production.
3. Thawing
Purpose: To restore frozen raw materials to their original tissue structure as much as possible.
Four elements of thawing: temperature, humidity, time, and quality.
Factories should consider various factors such as the size of the thawing room, actual production volume, existing equipment, and product costs to determine the appropriate thawing method.
1) Common thawing methods
① Natural thawing, also known as air thawing, with an ambient temperature of 12-15°C, relative humidity of 80-90%, and air flow rate of 1-1.5 m/s. Air thawing results in significant blood water loss, typically 3% for pork, 5% for beef, and 8% for chicken.
② Running water thawing, with water temperature not exceeding 30°C. Running water thawing causes less weight loss but greater loss of nutrients. Japan uses still water thawing, which results in less nutrient loss, saves costs, and maintains the meat temperature between -2 and +2°C after thawing.
③ Steam thawing, which causes severe denaturation of the surface protein of the raw materials.
④ Microwave thawing, a popular thawing method in recent years, requires a large initial investment.
Characteristics of microwave thawing:
① Fast thawing speed and energy savings;
② Preservation of nutrients and improvement of meat quality;
③ Rapid passage through cells and destruction of cell reproduction areas, increasing yield;
④ High energy utilization and uniform thawing;
⑤ Safety and hygiene;
⑥ Simple operation and small floor space;
⑦ Improved working environment, enabling assembly line production, and reduced labor intensity.
The center temperature of the thawed raw meat should be 0°C.
2) Precautions for thawing
1) Do not stack too much meat;
2) Prevent cross-contamination;
3) Do not set the ambient temperature too high;
4) Pay attention to the hygiene of tools, and thoroughly clean and disinfect them after each use;
5) Process the thawed meat immediately and do not repeatedly freeze and thaw it.
4. Cutting
Purpose: To remove tendons, fat, cartilage, and lymph nodes.
Temperature: The temperature management of raw materials after cutting directly affects the quality of subsequent product processing. Generally, the temperature of the cut meat should be kept below 6°C, so the raw materials should not stay in this process for too long, the faster the better. Considering human health factors, the room temperature of 8-12°C is optimal. After cutting, the full bucket of meat should be sent to a 0-4°C storage immediately.
The large pieces of lean meat from the hind legs of frozen pigs, without visible fat or tendons, typically contain 75% water, 4% fat, and 21% protein, and are used to produce high-end starch-free ham products. The small pieces of lean meat, with 5% visible fat, typically contain 72% water, 8% fat, and 20% protein, and are used to produce premium smoked sausages. The small pieces of lean meat, with 15% visible fat, typically contain 63% water, 20% fat, and 17% protein, and are used to produce regular smoked sausages. Visible fat 20%, general tissue water 55%, fat 28%, protein 17%, visible fat 30%, general tissue water 55%, fat 35%, protein 15%, used for producing ordinary smoked cooked sausages; used for producing ordinary smoked cooked sausages; connective tissue protein accounts for 7% to 30% of the edible meat protein depending on the pig part.
5. Curing
1) Functions and Mechanism of Curing
Functions of curing: preservation, stabilization of meat color, improvement of water retention, and enhancement of meat flavor.
The mechanism of meat curing mainly occurs through the penetration and diffusion of the curing solution.
2) Curing Methods
The traditional methods of meat curing are wet curing and dry curing, with the environmental temperature controlled at 3 to 5°C. Now, the wet curing method has been improved by using tumbling or injection to quickly cure the meat, which not only saves time but also improves work efficiency, but the product flavor is slightly inferior to the traditional method. For example, Italian Parma ham and Chinese Jinhua ham both use the traditional dry curing method.
6. Grinding
Grinding refers to the process of using a meat grinder to chop meat or fat into small pieces to meet processing requirements. The grinding operation directly affects the quality of the final product.
1) Preparation before Grinding
① Selection of the meat grinder
It is best to use a three-stage meat grinder (which means there are two sets of knives between three metal screens, forming a grinding group).
② Inspection of the meat grinder
Check whether the metal screens and knife edges fit well to prevent gaps that could cause meat tissue membranes and connective tissues to wrap around the knife edges, affecting the cutting effect and damaging the meat cells, weakening the binding force of added fat, and resulting in poor adhesion and affecting the quality of the final product.
③ Cleaning of the meat grinder
After inspection, proceed with cleaning according to the operation specifications, and cool it before use.
④ Preparation of raw materials
Before grinding, cut the raw meat and fat into small pieces as much as possible, and cool them to below 5°C.
2) Grinding Operation
① Adjustment of the meat grinder
Select the appropriate plate according to the product design requirements, and the tightness of the screw cap should be appropriate (the fit between the knife edge and the screen). If it is too tight, there will be excessive friction and the meat temperature will rise quickly; if it is too loose, the tissue membranes may wrap around the knife blade, affecting the texture of the ground meat.
② Method of grinding
Add the meat in appropriate proportions to prevent excessive movement in the feed hopper, which could cause the temperature to rise and ultimately affect the meat's binding force. When grinding fat, add it in small amounts to prevent temperature rise and fat melting, which would affect product quality.
③ Cleaning
After each operation, clean the meat grinder promptly to prevent bacterial growth. First, use hot water around 45°C to remove oil stains, and finally rinse with hot water at 80°C for disinfection and sterilization.
④ Safety precautions
During grinding, pay attention to hand protection, especially when operating small machinery. Use a meat pusher to feed the meat.
⑤ Speed of the meat grinder
It is generally believed that a higher speed means higher efficiency, but this is incorrect. Research shows that controlling the speed of the meat grinder at 150 r/min results in smaller changes in product temperature and pH, and less separation of meat juice and free water.
7. Chopping
Chopping: It refers to the process of using a chopper to evenly mix the meat paste or improve the emulsification and adhesion of the meat, while giving the product a better texture and flavor.
1) Preparation before Chopping
1) Inspection and cleaning of the chopper
First, check if the knife is sharp. A blunt knife will affect the emulsification effect during chopping, causing the product to be oily and have a rough texture. It is best to set a grinding time based on actual production conditions. Next, ensure the knife is securely fastened to the knife shaft to prevent it from flying out during operation and causing an accident. Then, check the distance between the knife and the rotating disc, which should be about the thickness of two pieces of paper. If it is too wide, the chopping effect will be poor; if it is too narrow, it may cause damage to the knife. Finally, clean it thoroughly and add ice to cool it down before use.
2) Preparation of raw meat and fat 1. Generally, lean meat and fat are processed separately during chopping. The temperature of lean meat should be controlled below 5℃, and that of fat below 2℃. If there is still some time before the chopping operation, it is best to store the raw materials in a low-temperature warehouse.
2. Use of ice
According to production conditions, it is best to use ice shavings instead of ice cubes, as the latter will increase the wear of the chopping machine's blades and reduce the emulsification effect of the meat.
3. Pre-chopping operations
1. Basic operations
First, add lean meat and spread it evenly, then add 2/3 of the ice and seasonings and chop at high speed. When the meat temperature reaches 4-6℃, add fat, egg white, and 1/3 of the ice, and continue to chop at high speed. When the meat temperature reaches 7-8℃, add spices and chop evenly until the machine is stopped. Generally, the temperature of chicken products when leaving the machine should be controlled within 10℃, and that of pork products within 12℃.
2. Factors affecting the chopping effect
① The influence of blade speed
Generally, the faster the blade speed, the better the chopping effect (emulsification, viscosity, elasticity), the better the water retention of the meat, and the less the juice exudation.
② The influence of time
Generally, the longer the chopping time, the better the emulsification effect and viscosity of the meat; however, if the time is too long, the meat temperature will rise faster, affecting the emulsification effect of the product and reducing its viscosity, as well as damaging the cell structure.
③ The combined influence of blade speed and time
Generally, the experience data shows that when the blade speed is controlled between 2880 and 4700 r/min, the chopping effect and temperature are relatively reasonable.
3. Addition of fat
Generally, the separation (oil exudation) of fat is largely due to the dispersion state, quality of the fat, and excessively high chopping temperature.
8. Mixing
Mixing refers to the uniform blending of raw materials through mechanical stirring according to the product process requirements.
1) Preparation before mixing
First, check if the machinery is operating normally; then, carefully clean the mixing paddles and mixing tank with warm water and disinfect them; finally, prepare the raw materials according to the product process requirements.
2) Mixing operation
After the raw materials are prepared, start the mixing operation. First, add lean meat and stir, then add seasonings and spices, and finally add fat. Generally, a mixing time of 5-10 minutes is suitable.
3) Cleaning
After mixing, clean all parts of the mixer promptly, especially the shaft and the root of the blades. If not cleaned thoroughly, bacteria can easily multiply. When cleaning the meat grinder and mixer, first clean them thoroughly with 45% hot water, and then rinse and disinfect with 80℃ hot water.
4) Precautions for mixing
① During the mixing process of meat products, when controlling the protein and moisture of the meat, not only the weight of the added protein powder and water should be considered, but also the protein and tissue moisture of the raw meat itself.
②The combination of raw meat is very important for the product structure. Improper addition of fat and lean meat in the raw materials can lead to dry texture and oil exudation of the product.
③ Improper combination of added water and auxiliary materials can cause water exudation and excessive moisture in the product.
④ Employees are required to calibrate the measuring instruments daily. They should use standard weights to calibrate floor scales and electronic platform scales. If they are found to be inaccurate, stop using them and notify relevant professionals to repair them before use. During operation, strictly follow the standard for the addition of each batch of raw materials, and no positive or negative deviations are allowed. Temperature control: for the temperatures specified in the standard, they must be within the standard range and cannot be changed arbitrarily.
9. Pigments
According to GB2760, the pigments used in Western-style hams and meat sausages are: carmine at 0.025g/kg, annatto at 0.025g/kg, allura red at 0.025g/kg for Western-style hams and 0.015g/kg for meat sausages, and erythrosine at 0.015g/kg for meat sausages. When using the pigments limited by GB2760 in combination, the sum of their proportions should be less than 1.
10. Injection Injection refers to the process of evenly distributing brine into meat blocks through air pressure or liquid pressure via injection needles to ensure thorough curing of the meat.
First, check if the machinery is clean, such as the conveyor belt, liquid storage tank, and needle bridge. Then, use clean water to test if the injection machine's pressure is normal, if the injection needles are clogged, and if there is any turbid water flowing from the liquid delivery pipes. After confirming that the machinery is operating normally, stop the machine, open the bottom valve of the liquid storage tank to drain the remaining water, and disassemble the lower part of the machine body to drain the remaining water for future use.
1) By raw materials: products made from livestock meat, poultry meat, fish, and game.
2) By processing techniques: cured products, braised products, smoked and grilled products, dried products, fried products, sausage products, ham products, canned meat products.
3) By origin: Chinese-style meat products and Western-style meat products.
4) By processing degree: unheated meat products and heated meat products.
2. Significance of meat product processing
1) To kill various microorganisms that contaminate raw meat, ensuring food hygiene and improving food safety.
2) To destroy or inhibit the activity of enzymes, extending the storage period of products.
3) To improve flavor, texture, and appearance, enhancing the quality of products.
4) To increase nutritional components and compensate for certain deficiencies in raw meat, improving the nutritional value of products.
5) To turn most meat products into ready-to-eat convenience foods, promoting disinfection and increasing production.
3. Thawing
Purpose: To restore frozen raw materials to their original tissue structure as much as possible.
Four elements of thawing: temperature, humidity, time, and quality.
Factories should consider various factors such as the size of the thawing room, actual production volume, existing equipment, and product costs to determine the appropriate thawing method.
1) Common thawing methods
① Natural thawing, also known as air thawing, with an ambient temperature of 12-15°C, relative humidity of 80-90%, and air flow rate of 1-1.5 m/s. Air thawing results in significant blood water loss, typically 3% for pork, 5% for beef, and 8% for chicken.
② Running water thawing, with water temperature not exceeding 30°C. Running water thawing causes less weight loss but greater loss of nutrients. Japan uses still water thawing, which results in less nutrient loss, saves costs, and maintains the meat temperature between -2 and +2°C after thawing.
③ Steam thawing, which causes severe denaturation of the surface protein of the raw materials.
④ Microwave thawing, a popular thawing method in recent years, requires a large initial investment.
Characteristics of microwave thawing:
① Fast thawing speed and energy savings;
② Preservation of nutrients and improvement of meat quality;
③ Rapid passage through cells and destruction of cell reproduction areas, increasing yield;
④ High energy utilization and uniform thawing;
⑤ Safety and hygiene;
⑥ Simple operation and small floor space;
⑦ Improved working environment, enabling assembly line production, and reduced labor intensity.
The center temperature of the thawed raw meat should be 0°C.
2) Precautions for thawing
1) Do not stack too much meat;
2) Prevent cross-contamination;
3) Do not set the ambient temperature too high;
4) Pay attention to the hygiene of tools, and thoroughly clean and disinfect them after each use;
5) Process the thawed meat immediately and do not repeatedly freeze and thaw it.
4. Cutting
Purpose: To remove tendons, fat, cartilage, and lymph nodes.
Temperature: The temperature management of raw materials after cutting directly affects the quality of subsequent product processing. Generally, the temperature of the cut meat should be kept below 6°C, so the raw materials should not stay in this process for too long, the faster the better. Considering human health factors, the room temperature of 8-12°C is optimal. After cutting, the full bucket of meat should be sent to a 0-4°C storage immediately.
The large pieces of lean meat from the hind legs of frozen pigs, without visible fat or tendons, typically contain 75% water, 4% fat, and 21% protein, and are used to produce high-end starch-free ham products. The small pieces of lean meat, with 5% visible fat, typically contain 72% water, 8% fat, and 20% protein, and are used to produce premium smoked sausages. The small pieces of lean meat, with 15% visible fat, typically contain 63% water, 20% fat, and 17% protein, and are used to produce regular smoked sausages. Visible fat 20%, general tissue water 55%, fat 28%, protein 17%, visible fat 30%, general tissue water 55%, fat 35%, protein 15%, used for producing ordinary smoked cooked sausages; used for producing ordinary smoked cooked sausages; connective tissue protein accounts for 7% to 30% of the edible meat protein depending on the pig part.
5. Curing
1) Functions and Mechanism of Curing
Functions of curing: preservation, stabilization of meat color, improvement of water retention, and enhancement of meat flavor.
The mechanism of meat curing mainly occurs through the penetration and diffusion of the curing solution.
2) Curing Methods
The traditional methods of meat curing are wet curing and dry curing, with the environmental temperature controlled at 3 to 5°C. Now, the wet curing method has been improved by using tumbling or injection to quickly cure the meat, which not only saves time but also improves work efficiency, but the product flavor is slightly inferior to the traditional method. For example, Italian Parma ham and Chinese Jinhua ham both use the traditional dry curing method.
6. Grinding
Grinding refers to the process of using a meat grinder to chop meat or fat into small pieces to meet processing requirements. The grinding operation directly affects the quality of the final product.
1) Preparation before Grinding
① Selection of the meat grinder
It is best to use a three-stage meat grinder (which means there are two sets of knives between three metal screens, forming a grinding group).
② Inspection of the meat grinder
Check whether the metal screens and knife edges fit well to prevent gaps that could cause meat tissue membranes and connective tissues to wrap around the knife edges, affecting the cutting effect and damaging the meat cells, weakening the binding force of added fat, and resulting in poor adhesion and affecting the quality of the final product.
③ Cleaning of the meat grinder
After inspection, proceed with cleaning according to the operation specifications, and cool it before use.
④ Preparation of raw materials
Before grinding, cut the raw meat and fat into small pieces as much as possible, and cool them to below 5°C.
2) Grinding Operation
① Adjustment of the meat grinder
Select the appropriate plate according to the product design requirements, and the tightness of the screw cap should be appropriate (the fit between the knife edge and the screen). If it is too tight, there will be excessive friction and the meat temperature will rise quickly; if it is too loose, the tissue membranes may wrap around the knife blade, affecting the texture of the ground meat.
② Method of grinding
Add the meat in appropriate proportions to prevent excessive movement in the feed hopper, which could cause the temperature to rise and ultimately affect the meat's binding force. When grinding fat, add it in small amounts to prevent temperature rise and fat melting, which would affect product quality.
③ Cleaning
After each operation, clean the meat grinder promptly to prevent bacterial growth. First, use hot water around 45°C to remove oil stains, and finally rinse with hot water at 80°C for disinfection and sterilization.
④ Safety precautions
During grinding, pay attention to hand protection, especially when operating small machinery. Use a meat pusher to feed the meat.
⑤ Speed of the meat grinder
It is generally believed that a higher speed means higher efficiency, but this is incorrect. Research shows that controlling the speed of the meat grinder at 150 r/min results in smaller changes in product temperature and pH, and less separation of meat juice and free water.
7. Chopping
Chopping: It refers to the process of using a chopper to evenly mix the meat paste or improve the emulsification and adhesion of the meat, while giving the product a better texture and flavor.
1) Preparation before Chopping
1) Inspection and cleaning of the chopper
First, check if the knife is sharp. A blunt knife will affect the emulsification effect during chopping, causing the product to be oily and have a rough texture. It is best to set a grinding time based on actual production conditions. Next, ensure the knife is securely fastened to the knife shaft to prevent it from flying out during operation and causing an accident. Then, check the distance between the knife and the rotating disc, which should be about the thickness of two pieces of paper. If it is too wide, the chopping effect will be poor; if it is too narrow, it may cause damage to the knife. Finally, clean it thoroughly and add ice to cool it down before use.
2) Preparation of raw meat and fat 1. Generally, lean meat and fat are processed separately during chopping. The temperature of lean meat should be controlled below 5℃, and that of fat below 2℃. If there is still some time before the chopping operation, it is best to store the raw materials in a low-temperature warehouse.
2. Use of ice
According to production conditions, it is best to use ice shavings instead of ice cubes, as the latter will increase the wear of the chopping machine's blades and reduce the emulsification effect of the meat.
3. Pre-chopping operations
1. Basic operations
First, add lean meat and spread it evenly, then add 2/3 of the ice and seasonings and chop at high speed. When the meat temperature reaches 4-6℃, add fat, egg white, and 1/3 of the ice, and continue to chop at high speed. When the meat temperature reaches 7-8℃, add spices and chop evenly until the machine is stopped. Generally, the temperature of chicken products when leaving the machine should be controlled within 10℃, and that of pork products within 12℃.
2. Factors affecting the chopping effect
① The influence of blade speed
Generally, the faster the blade speed, the better the chopping effect (emulsification, viscosity, elasticity), the better the water retention of the meat, and the less the juice exudation.
② The influence of time
Generally, the longer the chopping time, the better the emulsification effect and viscosity of the meat; however, if the time is too long, the meat temperature will rise faster, affecting the emulsification effect of the product and reducing its viscosity, as well as damaging the cell structure.
③ The combined influence of blade speed and time
Generally, the experience data shows that when the blade speed is controlled between 2880 and 4700 r/min, the chopping effect and temperature are relatively reasonable.
3. Addition of fat
Generally, the separation (oil exudation) of fat is largely due to the dispersion state, quality of the fat, and excessively high chopping temperature.
8. Mixing
Mixing refers to the uniform blending of raw materials through mechanical stirring according to the product process requirements.
1) Preparation before mixing
First, check if the machinery is operating normally; then, carefully clean the mixing paddles and mixing tank with warm water and disinfect them; finally, prepare the raw materials according to the product process requirements.
2) Mixing operation
After the raw materials are prepared, start the mixing operation. First, add lean meat and stir, then add seasonings and spices, and finally add fat. Generally, a mixing time of 5-10 minutes is suitable.
3) Cleaning
After mixing, clean all parts of the mixer promptly, especially the shaft and the root of the blades. If not cleaned thoroughly, bacteria can easily multiply. When cleaning the meat grinder and mixer, first clean them thoroughly with 45% hot water, and then rinse and disinfect with 80℃ hot water.
4) Precautions for mixing
① During the mixing process of meat products, when controlling the protein and moisture of the meat, not only the weight of the added protein powder and water should be considered, but also the protein and tissue moisture of the raw meat itself.
②The combination of raw meat is very important for the product structure. Improper addition of fat and lean meat in the raw materials can lead to dry texture and oil exudation of the product.
③ Improper combination of added water and auxiliary materials can cause water exudation and excessive moisture in the product.
④ Employees are required to calibrate the measuring instruments daily. They should use standard weights to calibrate floor scales and electronic platform scales. If they are found to be inaccurate, stop using them and notify relevant professionals to repair them before use. During operation, strictly follow the standard for the addition of each batch of raw materials, and no positive or negative deviations are allowed. Temperature control: for the temperatures specified in the standard, they must be within the standard range and cannot be changed arbitrarily.
9. Pigments
According to GB2760, the pigments used in Western-style hams and meat sausages are: carmine at 0.025g/kg, annatto at 0.025g/kg, allura red at 0.025g/kg for Western-style hams and 0.015g/kg for meat sausages, and erythrosine at 0.015g/kg for meat sausages. When using the pigments limited by GB2760 in combination, the sum of their proportions should be less than 1.
10. Injection Injection refers to the process of evenly distributing brine into meat blocks through air pressure or liquid pressure via injection needles to ensure thorough curing of the meat.
First, check if the machinery is clean, such as the conveyor belt, liquid storage tank, and needle bridge. Then, use clean water to test if the injection machine's pressure is normal, if the injection needles are clogged, and if there is any turbid water flowing from the liquid delivery pipes. After confirming that the machinery is operating normally, stop the machine, open the bottom valve of the liquid storage tank to drain the remaining water, and disassemble the lower part of the machine body to drain the remaining water for future use.
