DEVELOPMENT OF MEAT PRODUCTS USING

PROBIOTIC CULTURES

Contract Nuber: OMFB-02360/2000 (BIO-035/2000)

Starting Date: 01. September 2000

Duration: 25 months

Total cost: 59,6 M HUF

OM contribution: 18 M HUF

Acronym: Probiotic cultures

BACKGROUND

Functional foods can be defined as foods with a functional claim, to be beneficial for the consumer's health. The gastrointestinal tract of humans is colonised by 10¹² microbial cells. The human gut microflora established early in life is effective against several gastrointestinal diseases in man. Gastrointestinal distress can result from altering the gut microflora balance. The use of probiotic live cultures can correct the inbalance and restore normal gastrointestinal activity and stimulate the immune system.

The concept of probiotic is widely used in the dairy industry, and there are also promising experiments in the field of meat industry.

Some probiotics are members of the normal colonic microflora, the commercial probiotic preparations are usually mixtures of lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of our work is to develop fermented dry sausage using probiotic cultures, and to test the beneficial effect on the health of humans.

DESCRIPTION

Firstly, we collect data from the literature on the term of probiotics for a better understanding and on their role in health. We will gather information on the companies producing probiotic cultures, in order to find the products that could be used in the meat industry.

Experiments in laboratory will be done to determine the salt, pH and bile tolerance, and the antibacterial properties of the strains.

Secondly, experiments in the industry will be carried out. Because of patients suffering of gastric ulcer will be fed with the probiotic products, these sausages have to be produced using a low fat and low spices recipe, and they have to meet the requirements for a healthy product. The influence of technological parameters on the microbiological growth of probiotics alone or in combination with starter cultures applied in the meat industry will be studied. For the new product technological, microbiological and sensory evaluations will be carried out, as well as clinical tests with special regard to patients suffering of gastric ulcer.

Finally storage experiments, licence procedure (product approval) and marketing of the product will be performed.

CURRENT SITUATION

Four probiotic strains have been used in sausage production using a low fat recipe. Weight loss, pH and microbiological examinations as well as sensory evaluation by a taste panel were carried out with the sausages. The products were organoleptically acceptable.