Tubular Cellulose Composite as a Vehicle for the Development of Meat Products with Low Nitrite Content

Nitrite salts are among the most used preservatives in meat products as they ensure their safe consumption. Despite their positive effects on food safety and stability, many side effects on human health have been reported, leading to the need to reduce their use. Therefore, the aim of this study is to produce veal products with low nitrite content through low diffusion of potassium nitrite and to study their microbiological characteristics.

Edible tubular cellulose from leaf celery was produced and KNO₂ was encapsulated in this material. This was achieved in two ways: by impregnation of tubular cellulose in a KNO₂ solution under stirring and using starch gel as a stabilizer. Two samples of impregnated cellulose were applied on the surface of two veal samples of which one was stored at room temperature and the other at 3 °C. Similarly, two samples of cellulose with starch gel were applied on the surface of two veal samples of which one was stored at room temperature and the other at 3 °C. The KNO₂ diffusion in different depths of the meat was measured and its effect on the microbiological characteristics of the meat was evaluated. Τhe experiment was carried out in duplicate.

A satisfactory percentage of about 70 % of the initially encapsulated amount of KNO₂ was diffused in the meat, while the rest remained in the pores of the delignified leaf celery. The migrating amount of KNO₂ proved to be effective in preserving meat, as the microbiological load decreased significantly (especially within the first 12 h, from a decrease of 0.6 log CFU/g up to 2.4 log CFU/g).

The demand for meat products with low nitrite content is constantly increasing and the results of the present study are promising for the development of this technology in scale-up systems and on an industrial scale. This innovative approach could lead to products with controlled diffusion of the preservatives.