| dc.description.abstract | Americans now live in a world of convenience. The emergence of dual income families has resulted in a population that relies heavily on prepackaged/preprepared foods. The quality of commercially prepared foods is definitely improving. However, commercially prepared foods often lack the fresh flavor, typical texture, and overall quality of foods prepared at home from scratch. The use of meats in commercially prepared foods presents a special challenge. The rapid development of warmed-over flavor (WOF) in cooked refrigerated meat is a major obstacle that seems to become most obvious during reheating. Research indicates that lipid oxidation is what causes WOF.
Many foods have natural films/barriers for protection, ie. peanuts. By the same token, an edible protein film can be directly applied to a meat surface. Consequently, this film should protect against oxygen and moisture loss on the meat surface. Presumably, the inevitable onset of WOF can be greatly slowed through the application of this film.
Much of this research focused on the methodology for applying edible barrier film(s) to beef in order to control moisture and oxygen gas interchanges at the surface. Top round roasts were used, and I was able to successfully develop a zein film that could be sprayed directly on the meat surface. The extent of lipid oxidation was measured chemically by using the TBA test. The majority of lipid oxidation occurred near the meat surface according to TBA values. The values also indicated that lipid oxidation increases with time; moreover, the extent of lipid oxidation is less in meat samples applied with film. The zein film was observed by using scanning electron microscopy. The prevention of oxygen and moisture loss through the application of edible films could have a tremendous effect on extended shelf life. | en |
