With the support of the Erasmus+ program of the European Union

LEARNING KIT MEAT PROCESSING CAVA PROJECT (Erasmus+ 2014 Call for proposal - Code 2014-1-IT01-KA202-002680) DIDACTIC UNIT (1-4) UNIT 1: meat definition

UNIT 2: meat origin

UNIT 3: structure of animal tissues and organs; connective tissue; offal

UNIT 4: chemical composition of meat • Meat is food of animal origin, i.e. obtained by slaughter of livestock or by shooting or slaughtering wild game. • From culinary point of view: all muscle edible parts of animals. • The definition of meat may be wider or narrower, depending on what the term “meat” encompasses.

In the wider sense, meat comprises all body tissues of slaughtered warm-blooded animals suitable for human consumption, including offal, adipose tissue, and blood. MEAT DEFINITION In a narrower sense, meat are muscles (muscle tissue) and bone base linked together by adipose and connective tissue. • Meat is easily perishable and therefore it can be kept in a state suitable for human consumption for only a short period of time.

• In order to extend the meat keepability, different preserving and processing procedures are applied aiming at impeding, limiting or directing the microorganisms and tissue enzymes' activity and protecting the nutritional value of meat.

• Moreover, the objective is to improve the organoleptic properties of meat and meat products.

• The market offers fresh meat, refrigerated meat, frozen meat, MEAT DEFINITION semi-processed and processed meat, i.e. dried, smoked, or , canned and cured meat cuts. • Slaughtering and primary carcass processing result in obtaining edible parts and secondary slaughter products. The edible parts comprise: muscle, adipose and connective tissue, including the internal organs (liver, heart, lungs, kidneys, tongue, glands etc.). • Secondary slaughter products are hides, bones, fat, hair, blood etc. and represent raw material for leather, chemical, pharmaceutical and other industries. • For human nutrition only muscle tissue of healthy animals is used. • Meat inspection (sanitary and veterinary inspection) includes ante-mortem inspection of animals, and post-mortem inspection of meat and organs (offal) after the processing in the abattoir. The inspection may determine the meat and the organs that are: fit for human consumption without limitations, conditionally fit for consumption, fit for processing or not fit for human consumption. • The inspected meat is marked with prescribed meat stamps MEAT DEFINITION that confirm the suitability for consumption. • Meat is obtained from carcasses of slaughtered animals. • The most significant livestock in the meat industry are cattle, sheep and while buffaloes, goats and ungulates are less significant. • A second group of livestock from which meat is obtained is poultry (chicken, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowls and domesticated pigeons) and rabbits.

• Except livestock, meat production counts on game too: - (hares, wild boars, deer, does) MEAT ORIGIN - birds (partridges, quails, wild geese, wild pigeons, turtle doves, pheasants...) • Animal organisms are made of different tissues each with a different chemical composition and structure. • Tissue consists of groups of cells with identical morphological and functional properties. • Except cells, tissues comprise two more elements: extracellular fluid and fibres. • Depending on the relation between these three elements in the tissue (their higher or lower share or complete absence) and the type of the cells, tissues are divided in simple and complex. STRUCTURE OF Simple tissues: epithelial tissue. Complex tissues: muscle tissue, connective tissue ANIMAL TISSUES AND (supportive tissue, adipose tissue, ORGANS blood), nervous tissue. • Epithelial tissue is a simple tissue formed by epithelial cells closely aligned on a thin barrier called basement membrane. Through the basement membrane, epithelial tissue is connected to other tissues and above all with the connective tissue.

• Epithelial tissue has different function in the body. It covers the STRUCTURE OF whole body surface and coats all the cavities and organs, the ANIMAL TISSUES AND epithelial tissue most important function is protection. ORGANS Epithelial tissue • Muscle tissue is the engine of the whole body. It is formed by muscle cells that during the adaptation to their function have become elongated.

• The muscle tissue, according to the shape of cells, location of the muscle and type of nerves that lead to the muscle, can be subdivided into: STRUCTURE OF a) Smooth muscle tissue, b) Skeletal muscle tissue and ANIMAL TISSUES AND c) Cardiac muscle. ORGANS Muscle tissue • Connective tissue is a complex tissue with the task to connect cells, tissues and organs while shaping them and providing the mechanical support. It also serves as protection and nutrition for organs.

• Connective fibres give structure, thickness or flexibility to the connective tissue and the most important connective fibres STRUCTURE OF are: ANIMAL TISSUES AND • Collagen fibres, ORGANS • Elastic fibres and • Reticular fibres. Connective tissue • Tissues that absolve mechanical and supportive function are called supportive tissues, i.e. cartilage tissue and osseous tissue. STRUCTURE OF • The connective tissue, bones and cartilage, decrease the qualitative and nutritional value of meat. ANIMAL TISSUES AND ORGANS Supportive tissue: osseous and cartilage tissue • Adipose tissue is the main energy (in form of triglyceride) storage of the body. • The adipose tissue made of large spherical cells consisting of fat substances, either soft or stiff, has an especially high nutritional value. • For this reason the tallow is solid fat, is softer and fish fat is liquid. • The accumulated fat in adipose cells is the energy reserve STRUCTURE OF that the body uses upon request, protects the body from ANIMAL TISSUES AND loosing heat and from mechanical stress. ORGANS Adipose tissue • Offal refers to internal organs, which despite being edible parts are not considered meat in a narrow sense. • This category comprises: brain, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, pancreas, spleen, tongue, udders, tripe, stomach, meaty parts of the head and legs, tails, snout, ears, diaphragm etc. • Despite being histologically (structurally) different from meat, their chemical composition and nutritional and energetic value is identical to meat. • The nutritional values are almost identical for offal and for meat. Internal organs - OFFAL • Edible organs are distinguished depending on the way they are processed: • Soft parts and organs: brain, heart, kidneys, liver, lungs, spleen, tongue, udders, diaphragm, oesophagus meat, thymus, fries. • Organs covered with mucous membrane: cattle rumen, swine stomach, poultry stomach, small intestine of calves, lambs and suckling pigs, large intestine of pigs, calves, cattle, sheep and lambs. • Osseous parts and carcass parts covered with hair: head Internal organs - OFFAL and limb parts, tails, swine skin, cattle snout. • Meat contains a whole range of nutritional substances in different shares, but the most important element are proteins. • Meat is an important nutrient as it contains a favourable ratio of the most nutritionally valuable elements: proteins, fats, minerals and vitamins. • The differences in chemical composition of meat from different animal species aren't significant and refer mostly to fat quantity. • Even though the differences are minimal, they depend on CHEMICAL many factors: animal species, breeding line, nutrition, sex and age of the animal, physiological state, external factors etc. COMPOSITION OF • Moreover, every single anatomic position on the carcass has a MEAT slightly different chemical composition depending on the function it has had during the lifetime. • The nutritional value of meat depends on proteins. • Total amount of proteins in meat is not sufficient for assessing its real nutritional value. CHEMICAL • Real nutritional value depends on the amino acid compound. COMPOSITION OF There are approximately 10 amino acids whose role has been proved as essential for human nutrition. Meat proteins contain MEAT: PROTEINS all these 10 irreplaceable amino acids and therefore meat is part of highly nutritious food group. • The quantity of proteins in meat is between 15 and 20%. • Meat contains 5 to 50% of fat. CHEMICAL • Fats have the highest relative energetic value. COMPOSITION OF MEAT: • The quantity of fat tissue reflects on the meat quality as it determines its basic properties as juiciness, smell and taste. FATS • Meat contains 50% to more than 70% of water. • Meat of different animal species and of different body parts of same animal contains different quantities of water. CHEMICAL • As the quantity of fats increases, the quantity of water is lower, and the energetic value of meat higher. COMPOSITION OF • The ratio of fats and water in meat has been proved to be MEAT: interrelated. WATER • Meat of young animals contains relatively more water in comparison to the meat of older animals (as a rule it is also lower in fats). • In animal tissues they are mostly present as glycogen (animal starch). Meat contains a small quantity of glycogen (0.05 to CHEMICAL 0.16%). COMPOSITION OF

• The most of it is contained in liver and in muscles. Equine MEAT: meat contains more glycogen than other animal meat. Despite the rather small share of carbohydrates, they have a CARBOHYDRATES significant role in developing certain properties in the meat. (SACCHARIDES) After slaughtering, glycogen is transformed in lactic acid that acts as a meat preservative. • Meat contains A-group vitamins, B-group vitamins and traces of vitamin C. CHEMICAL • Internal organs are high in vitamins, especially liver and kidneys. COMPOSITION OF • During transformation, the vitamin loss is up to 10%. MEAT: • Meat contains less vitamins in relation to other food as fruits VITAMINS and vegetables. • The following minerals are contained in meat: phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and potassium. CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF • The quantities range from 0.8% to 1.0%. When meat contains more fat then it contains less minerals and vice versa. MEAT: Calcium and partially phosphorus are mostly represented in bones. MINERALS • • There are also other elements contained in meat which are important for human nutrition: zinc, fluorine, bromine, cobalt. DIDACTID UNIT 5-8 UNIT 5: slaughter/meat processing; meat quality assessment

UNIT 6: meat categories/trade meat categorisation and classification

UNIT 7: meat quality indicators; meat quality assessment methods

UNIT 8: meat preservation (chilling, drying, salting, brining, ) • Animal slaughtering is the killing of animals by a series of actions with the aim to make their meat suitable for consumption or further processing through autolytic processes in the tissues.

• Animal slaughter is performed in authorised slaughterhouses independently whether the meat is sold fresh or it’s aimed for further processing.

• Before the killing act, animals shall rest in a dedicated facility, lairage, so that the animals restore their normal physical SLAUGTHER OF condition after the stress created by loading, transfer, transportation and unloading. LIVESTOCK CARCASS • Follows carcass processing PROCESSING . Post-mortal changes in meat occur starting from the slaughter of the animal and continue up to the point when the meat becomes suitable for processing. These changes include a series of biochemical, physical and chemical, histological and organoleptic changes that are commonly knowns as autolysis.

. Phases: . Rigor mortis, . Glycolysis, . Proteolysis, . Lipolysis. POST-MORTEM CHANGES IN MEAT AFTER SLAUGHTER . The evaluation of carcass quality, i.e. slaughtered animal value is based on the quantity of meat, carcass conformation and organoleptic properties of the meat. . From the breeders and producers' point of view, the following are the most important meat values: - homogeneity of animals to be slaughtered, - slaughterhouse yields as high as possible - good raw meat (processing) properties . From the retailers and consumers' point of view, the following are the most important meat values: - good external appearance of carcasses MEAT QUALITY - well expressed meaty part and optimal ratio of meat and fat tissue ASSESMENT - excellent carcass conformation - emphasised meat sensory properties

. According to the Ordinance on meat quality of slaughtered animals, poultry and wild game meat, the meat is marketed in the following categories: . Cattle meat . Buffalo meat . Porcine meat . Sheep meat . Goat meat . Ungulates meat . Rabbit meat . Poultry meat . Wild game meat MEAT CATEGORIES

. Beef carcass cuts: 1. Neck 2. Chuck 3. Breast 4. Rib 5. Short loin 6. Sirloin 7. Tenderloin 8. Thin rib 9. Flank TRADE MEAT 10. Chuck (blade) CATEGORISATIO 11. Round (eye round) N AND 12. Round (silverside) CLASSIFICATION 13. Rump- round (thick flank) Cattle and buffalo 14. Shin-shank (anterior and posterior) meat . Cattle and buffalo meat: . Veal ad buffalo veal - the muscle tissue is light pink to pink coloured, the structure is delicate and fine with white stiff fat tissue. It is characterised by low energetic value and a major share of high-quality proteins and lower share of fat. Veal contains high-quality proteins that contain essential amino acids which make it highly digestible. It is a valid vitamin B complex source that has an important role in creating red blood cells and in energy production. . Beef of 6-18 months of age - meat is light pink coloured, tender, juicy, with subtle aromas, the meat is medium marbled while the subcutaneous fat tissue is light to TRADE MEAT white coloured. CATEGORISATIO . Beef or buffalo meat - pink to purple coloured, juicy, N AND aromatic and more or less marbled (depending on the species and feeding), subcutaneous fat tissue is light or CLASSIFICATION intensly yellow. Cattle and buffalo meat . carcass cuts: 1. Head 2. Jowl 3. Back (fat back) 4. Neck 5. Ribs and breast 6. Loin 7. Loin centre 8. Sirloin 9. and side TRADE MEAT 10. Belly CATEGORISATIO 11. Blade 12. Leg N AND 13. Shank CLASSIFICATION 14. Foot Porcine meat 15. Tail . Porcine meat: . meat - delicately structured meat, light pink coloured and slightly fat, . Young pig - light pink coloured meat, delicately structured and slightly marbelized, . Pig - solid consistency, red coloured and more or less covered with fat tissue .

. Porcine meat contains less proteins and water, but is higher in fats, and therefore the caloric value of porcine meat is higher than beef. The porcine meat proteins TRADE MEAT contain more of some essential amino acids in comparison to cattle or sheep meat, as well as some CATEGORISATIO vitamins B complex. N AND CLASSIFICATION Porcine meat . Lamb carcass cuts:

1. Neck 2. Breast 3. Shoulder 4. Shank 5. Loin 6. Ribs and breast 7. Tenderloin 8. Leg TRADE MEAT CATEGORISATIO N AND CLASSIFICATION Sheep and goat meat . Sheep and goat meat: . Young lamb or kid - delicately structured meat, typical appearance and consistency, light pink coloured, partially covered with white fat tissue, praised for the smell, . Lamb - light pink coloured, delicately structured meat of typical consistency, partially covered with white fat tissue, . Sheep and goat meat - tough and sinewy meat, light to dark red coloured.

TRADE MEAT CATEGORISATIO N AND CLASSIFICATION Sheep and goat meat . Poultry cuts: 1. Breast 2. Leg (drumstick and thigh) 3. Wings 4. Back 5. Breast 6. Tail

TRADE MEAT CATEGORISATIO N AND CLASSIFICATION Poultry meat . Poultry meat: . Hen meat . Turkey meat . Duck meat . Goose meat . Guinea fowl meat and pigeon meat

TRADE MEAT CATEGORISATIO N AND CLASSIFICATION Poultry meat . WATER-HOLDING CAPACITY OF MEAT . SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF MEAT: . MEAT COLOUR . CONSISTENCY AND JUICINESS . MEAT SMELL AND . MEAT TASTE . MEAT MARBLING

. Demonstration of different types of meat and cuts so that participants can evaluate sensor meat

MEAT QUALITY INDICATORS . Regulations prescribing meat and meat product quality have been brought based on the ordinances and standards. Quality ordinances define composition, quantity of additives and ingredients that meat or meat products shall not contain, as for example pesticides, hormones, antibiotics, mycotoxines etc. Moreover, storage and transportation methods are prescribed, as well as quality assessment methods. . Meat quality and freshness is assessed by the following methods: . Organoleptic evaluation, . Physical and chemical testing, . Microbiological testing, MEAT QUALITY . Histological testing. ASSESMENT METHODS . Meat preservation is a joint term for a series of different procedures whose aim is to maintain as much as possible and as long as possible the quality of meat and prevent the spoilage or degradation. . Generally, meat preservation serves to inhibit the growth and proliferation of microorganisms in meat by their elimination or by creating unfavourable conditions for their growth. . Besides bacteria and their toxins, spoilage is caused by moulds, yeasts and all chemical and physical unfavourable conditions that occur during meat handling. . In the modern meat industry, meat is preserved by adopting the following methods: . Chilling and freezing, MEAT . Thermal processing, PRESERVATION . Drying, . By usage of chemicals, . Exposure to cool air circulation. . Extends the durability of fresh or frozen meat for a shorter or longer period. . Low temperatures used in primary meat processing include: a) chilling, b) freezing; c) thawing; d) packaging. . Low temperatures inhibit or slow down the microbiological changes and interrupt the enzymatic processes in the meat tissues. . According to the temperature level, we shall distinguish: a) preservation by chilling at which the temperature MEAT obtained is higher than 0°C (temperature in the thickest PRESERVATION muscles shall be 0°C or -0.5 to + 4°C). b) preservation by freezing at which the temperature Chilling/ freezing obtained is lower than 0°C (temperature in the thickest muscles shall be – 8°C). . Meat packaging is very important for preservation of fresh and processed meat. It is almost impossible to imagine the development of modern technologies without a suitable packaging today. . The packaging does not serve only to protect the meat from deformation or damaging but also from contamination. . The packaging brings the following advantages: . Decreases the weight loss as it inhibits dehydration. . Maintains the colour of the meat. . Ensures better hygienic conditions. . Protects the meat from external environmental factors. . Ensures better organoleptic properties of the meat (tenderness, delicate structure). . Enables a better and more rational usage of retail PACKING OF space. MEAT . Reduces transport costs. . Reduces workforce needs. . The packaging material shall be robust, water and air tight and gas resistant. . Aluminium and plastic films are used for packing meat and meat products, but also foam materials, paper, wood and textile. . New packaging methods have also been adopted in meat industry, as vacuum-pack and modified atmosphere packing by using inert gasses.

PACKING OF MEAT . High temperatures in combination with other procedures have a wide application in meat preservation. . The heat has a negative impact on microorganisms in meat creating denaturated proteins in their cells and thus ending their life functions. . With regard to the preservation temperature, there are three preservation methods: MEAT . Pasteurisation is exposure of meat to the PRESERVATION temperatures below 100°C (70-90°C), by heat treatment . Boiling is treating the meat at the temperature of 1000C, . Sterilisation involves treating the meat at the temperature higher than 100°C. . Drying (dehydration) is a procedure during which water evaporates naturally or artificially from meat. . This allows modifying the natural conditions in which microorganisms develop. . Since microorganisms consist of a large part of water, it is obvious that for their proliferation and growth an environment rich in water is needed. . Meat drying reduce the possibilities for microorganisms to perform their life functions normally up to the point when water content falls below the necessary minimum and the life processes are interrupted. . Besides salting and smoking, drying is one of the most ancient and most relevant methods of meat preservation. MEAT Products that have lost more water in the technological PRESERVATION process become more keepable and are less prone to spoilage. by drying . Drying can be an integral part of production of some meat products (, salami etc.) but can also be used as a preservation method. . If used as the only preservation method and in order to reach the desired effect, the quantity of water that shall be eliminated from meat is at least 50%. . Drying could be done by: . drying under atmospheric pressure, . vacuum drying. MEAT PRESERVATION by drying . Salting and brining have a significantly more important role in enhancing organoleptic properties of meat (flavour, smell, delicacy, juiciness and colour) than in extending its keepability. . Salting is treating of meat and fat tissue with kitchen salt. In industrial production, salting is used as a chemical method in meat and meat products preservation for , ham and some other cured meat products and in intestine processing for casings. . Brining comprises meat processing with brining salts, i.e. beside salt, some other substances are used in order to maintain and enhance the organoleptic properties of meat. Brining is used in production of all cured meat products in which the objective is to obtain an attractive, thermostable, pink-red coloured muscle tissue. This group comprises cured meat products, some types of MEAT sausages and canned meat. PRESERVATION Salting and brining . For salting and brining purposes, the following ingredients are used: 1. Kitchen salt, 2. Nitrites and nitrates, 4. Sugar, 5. Polyphosphates, 6. Ascorbic acid and its salts, 7. Hydrolysates of yeast and vegetable proteins, 8. Citric, wine and lactic acid etc. . The usage of additives in meat and in meat products shall be declared. In order to obtain certain product characteristics some other ingredients may be added to the brine, as spices and extracts, wine vinegar, alcohol, MEAT rum and cognac. PRESERVATION Salting and brining DIDACTID UNIT 9-12 UNIT 9: Meat processing (ground meat, sausages, cans, ready-to-eat dishes, cured meat products and bacon, animal fat, extended ageing period, other meat products)

UNIT 10: Animal fat processing

UNIT 11: Extended ageing period

UNIT 12: Culinary processing of meat . By definition, the term meat processing denotes application of one or several preservation processes in order to get a sufficiently sustainable product, fit for consumption and attractive in terms of its organoleptic properties. . Meat processing also includes application of technological processes to meet the culinary, gastronomic and other food- related consumers’ needs. . Quality of meat products mostly depends on the quality of raw materials, namely, meat and different additives, as well as the processing technology and quality of material for product distribution. • MEAT PROCESSING . In line with the industry (processing technology) and market rules, the list of meat processed products includes the following:

. ground meat, . sausages, . cans, . ready-to-eat dishes (convenience food), . cured meat products and bacon, . animal fat, . extended ageing period, . other meat products . • MEAT PROCESSING . Ground meat is produced by mincing (grounding) beef, , mutton and equine meat, with or without additives.

. Ground meat is placed on the market as either: . minced meat, . shaped ground meat (“ćevapi”, “pljeskavice”) .

. Ground meat is the principal ingredient in sausages and is used in preparation of canned ground meat. As such, it can be divided into • MEAT four different classes (I, II, III, IV). PROCESSING 1. Ground meat . Compared to whole meat, ground meat is more prone to spoilage simply because bacteria commonly found on meat surface are mixed with other parts of meat during the process. . Grinding increases the surface area of meat and breaks the connective tissue layer which, in its turn, increases the amount of meat juices extracted from damaged cells. . Meat juices are suitable environment for growth of different microflora of spoilage bacteria. Plus, contamination can spread from grinders. . For all of these reasons it is highly recommended to store ground meat at temperatures ranging from 0 – 4 0C. . Ground meat packages can be placed on the market up to 72 hours after the packaging or up to 30 days if frozen. MEAT . The packaging material for ground meat must be water proof. PROCESSING 1. Ground meat . Sausages are products made by filling natural or artificial casings with various types and amounts of ground meat, fatty tissues, animal skin, offal, scraps of connective tissues and other ingredients (spices, additives). . Sausages are a rather specific product given the particular nature of their production in terms of contents, shape, size and preparation of the sausage mix. . They also include additional spices and additives typical of sausages only. . Each sausage consists of two basic parts: sausage mix (1) filled inside casings (2). Quality depends on the ingredients inside the sausage mix. • MEAT PROCESSING: 2. Sausages . According to the set criteria, sausages can be divided into following groups:

. Dry (fermented) sausages (, , Milano salami), . Semi-dry sausages (šunkarica, ,Tyrolean sausage, ), . Raw-cooked sausages ( sausage, sausage, Parisian sausage, Pariser /regional variant of the ), . Sausages for roasting (Domaća kobasica / home-made sausage, barbecue sausage), . Sausages for cooking (, liver sausage). • MEAT PROCESSING: 2. Sausages . Technological production process is the same for all types and includes the following steps:

. preparation of raw material for production of the meat mix (deboning, cooling...), . grinding to the desired size, . dry curing, addition of spices, mixing, . filling the meat mix into casings, . heat treatment (smoking, boiling, cooking, roasting) or . cold smoking (dry sausages), . ageing (dry sausages) - intensive (2 weeks) and extended ageing periods (2-8 weeks), • MEAT . packaging and distribution. PROCESSING: 2. Sausages . Cans (from Latin conservare = preserve, keep, protect) are meat processed products from meat, fatty tissue, offal, skins, residues of connective and fatty tissue and other ingredients, exposed to heat treatment after processing in hermetically sealed tins, jars, casings or bowls made of plastic or aluminium.

. Technological process behind canning is similar to those in sausage production, apart from the fact that canning includes heat treatment - pasteurization (up to 100°C) and sterilization (at temperatures above 100°C).

. Two mutually connected conditions have to be met by heat treatment of cans: • MEAT . Need to preserve organoleptic properties of the contents PROCESSING . Successful sterilization practice to inactivate/kill the microorganisms in a safe manner and ensure long shelf life. 3. Cans . The term “ready-to-eat” stands for culinary and thermally treated (cooked, roasted / baked, stewed) products made of different types of meat, offal or meat products with vegetables or without it and other ingredients or animal or plant origin and additives. They may be fortified with vitamins and animal or plant-based proteins.

. Production technology includes the following phases: . primary processing of raw materials, . heat treatment (culinary), . placement of exact portions into containers, . deep freeze, • MEAT . removal of frozen ready meals from containers, PROCESSING: . vacuum sealing of ready meals into plastic bags and cardboard containers, 4. Ready-to-eat . storage at -18 0C. dishes . Cured meat products can be placed on the market as cured-raw or cured-cooked, depending on the type and class of meat used as raw material, technology applied and their shelf life.

. Cured-raw products are exposed to heat treatment and cured-raw meat products are not. . Apart from salting, other techniques are applied in production of cured meat products, such as dry-curing and cold smoking. . In case of cured-cooked products, warm smoking may be used, in addition to dry, wet or combined curing. . Unlike cured-cooked, cured-raw products undergo extended ripening (fermentation). • MEAT . According to the relevant regulations, the content of water in lean PROCESSING: meat must not exceed 50% for cured-raw meat products. 5. Cured meat products . Production technology includes the following phases:

. selection of raw material, . primary meat processing, . salting or dry curing, . application of pressure with heavy weights, . cold smoking, . ripening or fermentation. • MEAT PROCESSING 5. Cured meat products . Cured-raw meat products include: Dalmatian prosciutto, Istrian prosciutto, beef prosciutto, pastirma, dry-cured ham, dry picnic ham, cured-raw - coppa ham (capocollo), coppa ham in casings or net (buđola), dry-cured pork loin and dry-cured , dry-cured ... . Semi-dry meat products include: smoked ham, smoked picnic ham, smoked pork loin and tenderloin, smoked coppa ham, smoked pork ribs, smoked , shank, legs, pigtail and bacon. . Different types of bacons made by salting, curing, smoking, drying, roasting or cooking fatty tissue with skins or without it should also be considered as dried cured meats. This group encompasses raw, salted, dry, roasted or cooked bacon. • MEAT PROCESSING: . Cured meat products also include certain types of poultry products: duck, goose or chicken jerky or dried game meat 5. Cured meat products . Cured meat products must be stored in clean, ventilated rooms, free of any odour and inaccessible to rodents. . Products must be suspended and away from one another. Under these storage conditions, cured-raw products can remain of high-quality for over a year and cured-cooked for three to six months. . All marketable cured meats must bear a producer’s name and indication of the type of the product (stamp, seal, label). . They are packed in wooden cases, baskets or paper. Plastic material has increasingly been used nowadays. • MEAT PROCESSING 5. Cured meat products . After meat, animal fat is the second most important product of animal slaughter. . Animal fat is a product rendered from melting of tissue fat from carcasses of slaughtered animals. . Fat is produced and placed on the market as lard (pig fat), tallow (fat of cattle) and fat of sheep, depending on the animal from which it originates.

. Types of animal fat: . Lard - whitish, faint scent to strong odour . Fat of cattle / tallow - yellowish or intensive yellow, faint scent to strong odour • ANIMAL FAT . Fat of sheep - in terms of colour, similar to tallow, distinct odour PROCESSING . Extended ageing period is a relatively new trend in the meat processing industry. Nevertheless, it must not be understood as a new phenomenon because it has been used throughout the history, especially in winter time, to extend the shelf life of red meat. Extended ageing is particularly suitable for red meat of older animals (older than 20 months for cattle) because less marbled and contains less bound water (less juiciness). . Extended ageing takes place after the regular post-slaughter meat ageing process and denotes a number of chemical and biochemical changes due to enzyme activity after the slaughter process that significantly change primary products and its quality. . Ageing can bring about positive effects if carried out properly. As a result, meat processors get juicy and tender meat, more suitable for culinary preparation, rich in specific aromas due to increased amino acid and low-molecule fatty acids activity that occurs due to changes in muscle, connective and fatty tissues. • EXTENDED AGEING PERIOD . High-quality ageing process required low pH values (around 5.5) that cause slight acidity of the material, prevent growth of microorganisms and activate proteolytic enzymes. . Proteolytic enzymes stimulate decomposition of proteins in muscles to peptones, polypeptides, dipeptides and free amino acids. . Proteolysis in extended ageing reaches an advanced stage and its significance increases. The amount of amino acids increases by two to five times. . Aroma and flavour very much depend on the amount of glutamic acid that is released during the ageing process. . Other pleasant aromas are caused by accumulation of fatty acids from hydrolysis of lipids in muscles. • EXTENDED AGEING PERIOD . Two types of ageing process are most widely used: dry and wet ageing.

. Dry ageing implies direct exposure of meat to the air or modified atmosphere (that implies the use of inert gases) in the relevant chamber. Chambers in which the meat is hanging must have ceiling-mounted vaporizer to minimize air flow at the temperatures between 00C and 40C. Humidity levels should be between 80-90%. . Wet ageing takes place in special chambers after meat cuts are packed in modified atmosphere with the use of inert gases or after being vacuum packed. Packages are then labelled and placed on racks. Temperature should be 00C and 40C. Air flow is not so important because meat has already • EXTENDED been packed. AGEIN PERIOD . Other products used after the processing do not have any specific nutritional value.

. They should be mentioned at this point, though, because they can represent raw materials for technological processing or pharmaceutical industry, i.e. they can have economic value.

. Other meat products include: blood, skin /hide, non-edible offal and residues. • OTHER MEAT PRODUCTS . The term “meat” denotes all edible muscle parts of animals. . The main purpose of heat treatment of meat is to render raw meat palatable, appetizing and, depending on the preparation method and spices used, tasty and digestible. . Exposure to high temperature results in numerous processes. It also lowers water activity (aw) that prolongs shelf stability and improves food safety by halting microbial growth. . Nonetheless, although heat treatment of meat causes favourable changes inside meat, it also decreases the level of nutrients. . Methods of heat treatment of meat: . cooking in water / boiling, . stewing / simmering, . roasting, . roasting in fat, • CULINARY . frying. PROCESSING OF MEAT DIDACTID UNIT 13-15 UNIT 13: HACCP: food transmitted diseases

UNIT 14: Autochthonous breeds

UNIT 15: meat products with marks of quality DOP/IGP . HACCP is an integrated food safety control system implemented in all production and distribution stages. . It is based on preventive approach that contributes to risk minimization in terms of public health.

. The Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point System (HACCP) is a logical, scientifically-based system of control of production and distribution process for foodstuffs that provides for: . hazard identification for any potential hazards, i.e. physical, chemical or microbiological hazards in all phases, . establishment of accompanying preventive and control measures, . effective implementation of measures. • HACCP: Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points . Health awareness has become imperative of our time. Pollution comes from an increasing number of new sources and the number of pollutants has risen. . Food production-related problems are causing more and more diseases, i.e. application of new technologies, changed lifestyles and poor disease tolerance are all taking their toll on human health. . Three groups of bacteria: salmonella, staphylococci, clostridia. . Symptoms: sudden start, fever, vomit, diarrhea • FOOD TRANSMITTED DISEASES/ • New presentation . Native breeds of domestic animals contain genes that combine thousand-year old events from their environment. In some of these events, men have played an important role, in others not. . Native and protected breeds are a distinctive genetic heritage, created for hundreds and thousands of years that make them truly unique. Their extinction poses a threat to biodiversity in agriculture and puts into question the overall ecological biodiversity. . Indigenous breeds (also termed autochthonous or AUTOCHTHONOUS native breeds) denote a specific group of animals which has been in the country for a sufficient time to be genetically adapted to one or more of traditional BREEDS: production systems or environments in the country (FAO, 1999). . The following species are breeds are included in the List of Indigenous and Protected Species and Breeds of Domestic Animals Originating in the Territory of the Republic of Croatia:

. Cattle: Istrian cattle, Slavonian-Syrmian Podolian Cattle, Buša cattle . : Posavac , , Lipizzan, Međimurje horse . Donkeys: Istrian , Primorje-Dinara donkey, North-adriatic donkey . Sheep: Cigaja, Creas sheep, Dalmatian premenka, Dubrovnik ruda, Istrian sheep, Krk sheep, pramenka, Pag sheep, Rab sheep AUTOCHTHONOUS . Goats: Croatian coloured goat, Croatian white goat, Istrian goat BREEDS: . Pigs: Black Slavonian pig, pig Croatia . Poultry: Zagorje turkey, Croatian hen “Hrvatica” . Bees: Carniolan honey bee (gray bee) . Type of istrian autochtonous breeds:

. Istrian goat . Istrian donkey . Istrian sheep . Istrian cattle

ISTRIAN AUTOCHTONOUS BREEDS . In geographical terms, the Istrian goat is farmed within three sub-areas: White , Grey Istria and Red Istria. In all probability, a certain number of Istrian goats will be transported for farming to other parts of Croatia and and will be covered by the Farming Programme. . The Istrian goat is extremely endangered species. Some fifty healthy tribes are farmed in the Istrian peninsula today. ISTRIAN . The Istria County and the Agency for Rural AUTOCHTONOUS Development of Istria (AZRRI) are implementing a number of projects to protect the Istrian goat and push BREEDS: forward gastronomic promotion of products originating from this type of goat. 1. Istrian goat . Istrian goats have large body frame, they are extremely strong and muscular, with strong bones, primarily white in colour, but greyish or cream shades may also be pronounced. Grey pigment may appear around the snout, behind the ears and on the udder. Both male and female goats grow a beard, have horns and wattles. . In terms of weight of adult goats, well-built goats will weigh between 55 and 80 kg, which means that this breed tends to be heavier and stronger than typical Saanen goats (typically weighing between 50 and 70 kg). . Depending on the age and physical capabilities, they weigh ISTRIAN between 70 and 120 kg on average. AUTOCHTONOUS . Istrian goats are covered with long, white, white-greyish or white- brownish coarse hair, thicker in autumn and winter, and thinner in BREEDS: spring and summer. 1. Istrian goat

. This is a well-built, stocky animal of typical square framework in terms of body shape. . Withers are 125 to 135 cm high, belly measures between 125 and 140cm. Cannon bone measures between 15 and 19 cm in diameter. . Head is big and not regular in shape, the profile is flat or slightly concave, with long ears with white hairs growing inside. ISTRIAN AUTOCHTONOUS BREEDS: 2. Istrian donkey . The story of the Istrian sheep is intertwined in rich tradition of livestock breeding in Istria. Several original autochthonous breeds farmed in Istria can be found all over the peninsula. . The Istrian sheep belongs to the group of dairy sheep breeds. On average, it produces some 180.74 kg of milk per lactation period (176 days), but there are sheep that produce over 300 litres of milk. . Gastronomic valuation of its meat takes into account use of lamb meat and mutton in culinary practices. ISTRIAN . The majority of sheep farmers produce acclaimed full fat AUTOCHTONO hard sheep . It is grainy so it does not become creamy in the mouth but it keeps the granular flaking. US BREEDS: 2. Istrian sheep . This is one of the largest types of the premenka breeds in Croatia because the average weight of females / ewes amounts to 70 kg. . Rams can weigh up to 100 kg. The withers height of rams amounts to 82-88 cm and 76-80 cm in ewes.

. The Istrian sheep has a regular shape, it is strongly built and the body is prolonged. The head is medium long, with convex profile. ISTRIAN . In the majority of cases (70%) sheep colour includes AUTOCHTONO shadings and patches. Black (26%) and white (1%) flocks may also be found. The base fleece colour is US BREEDS: white with brown of grey patches of different shape and size. 2. Istrian sheep . The Istrian cattle, popularly known as the Boškarin, are an autochthonous Croatian breed found on the Istrian peninsula and the Kvarner islands. . The Istrian cattle are mostly used as working animals, useful to the Istrian farmers for agricultural activities in the field . The outer appearance indicates that these animals are good-natured, steady, persistent, obedient and modest. ISTRIAN . Istrian farmers bred these animals for centuries to make AUTOCHTONO them intelligent, obedient, with modest needs in terms of feed that allowed them to plough the Istrian soil and US BREEDS: produce food both for themselves and the animals. . Large body weight was a direct consequence of 4. Istrian catlle farmer’s desire to breed strong and resilient cattle. . Long, wedge-shaped head of the Istrian cattle bears the distinct feature and unique symbol of this breed - long lyre-shaped horns up to 1.5 m long, protruding from the forehead. The whole body is strong and muscular. . Oxen will reach a body mass of 1100 to 1300 kg. Bulls are somewhat lighter with the average mass of 900 kg. . Their hair colours are light grey to white that may blend to darker tones. Once born, calves are reddish-brown, ISTRIAN but their colour changes to grey at the age of 3-4 months. AUTOCHTONO . Over 2000 individual head of the Istrian cattle of all US BREEDS: classes lives in Istria and on the Kvarner islands today. The breeding programme defines how the cattle is kept 4. Istrian catlle and fed and limits the breeding area. This information reflects only the author's view. The National Agency and the European Commission are not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains

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