Influence of Continuous Versus Intermittent Tumbling on Brine (Salt, Sugar and Nitrite) Diffusion in Porcine Tissue ¹

Increased tumbling time and intermittent tumbling (10 min per hour for 18 h of tumbling) when compared (on a tumbling time basis) to continuous tumbling (3 h), both increase migration of individual cure components (sodium chloride, dextrose, sodium nitrite) as well as average brine (average migration of these components) in tumbled porcine muscle. In most instances the difference between intermittent and continuous tumbling became apparent at 1-1/2 to 2 h of tumbling time and remained significantly higher for the intermittent tumbling technique for the remainder of the 3-h tumbling treatment. Tumbling time for both continuous and intermittent tumbling increased cure migration but these results indicate that continuous tumbling did not have the same influence on cure ingredient migration as equivalent tumbling time delivered intermittently.