SPICES AND FLAVORS FOR MEAT PRODUCTS

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SPICES AND FLAVORS FOR MEAT PRODUCTS

• Rick Matulis, Ph.D.
• Senior Scientist
• Givaudan Flavors
• Cincinnati, Ohio

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Spices and Spice Extractives

• Spices and herbs are food seasonings derived from
  plants
• Historically, spices referred to tropical
  aromatics only, while
• herbs were of temperate zone origin.
• They may be made from seeds, fruits (berries),
  leaves, bark, blossoms. stems, roots, bulbs, or
  tubers.
• Spices were historically used for cooking and
  preservation
• Throughout history, the country that controlled
  most of the spice trade was the most powerful in
  the world.

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Classification of Spices

• Natural Whole and Ground Spices
• Herbs, seeds, fruits, etc., that are not
  processed beyond drying, cleaning, grading,
  grinding, chopping and dicing.
• Spices in this form contain a full compliment of
  flavor as well as add color and appearance to
  products.
• Particle size determines the release and
  distribution of flavor.
• Spices are subject to seasonal variation in
  flavor, quality and quantity.
• Spices may be a source of spoilage organisms if
  not sterilized.
• Whole spices are not soluble in brine solutions.
• Whole and ground spices are best used when
  appearance is important such as meat rubs and
  some sausage products

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Essential Oils

• Essential oils are volatile, odoriferous
  components found in many plant materials.
• They are normally obtained through steam
  distillation.
• Most essential oils are hydrocarbons (terpenes,
  sequiterpenes), oxygenated compounds (alcohol,
  esters, aldehydes, keytones) and nonvolatile
  residues (waxes, paraffins).
• Essential oils are only part of the spice
  profile.
• Essential oils are deficient in heat, sweetness,
  bitterness and other flavor components.

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Oleoresins

• Oleoresins are prepared from spices or herbs by
  extraction, using organic solvents.
• Oleoresins contain both the volatile portion of
  the spice (the essential oil) and the
  non-volatile extract which includes resins.
• Oleoresins are considered more complete than
  essential oils and are therefore considered to be
  a better replacement for whole spices.
• Essential Oils and Oleoresins are
  microbiologically clean and can be standardized
  for strength and flavor profile.
• Food grade emulsifiers can be added to oleoresins
  to make them water soluble.
• Oleoresins can be placed on soluble carriers such
  as salt, dextrose, flour or yeast to produce a
  dry soluble product.

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Flavor systems for Sausages and Restructured
Products

• If visuals are essential for customer appeal,
  some whole or ground spices and herbs are needed.
  They may be supplemented with oleoresins or
  spice replacement products for consistency and
  flavor impact.
• Flavor systems or seasonings must be easily
  dispersed during the mixing process to avoid hot
  spots. It is generally recommended to plate
  oleoresins on a carrier for better distribution
  of flavor throughout the product because of their
  high impact.
• Characterizing flavors such as smoke or roasted
  notes may be added directly to the product to
  either enhance or replace a processing step.

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Flavors Other than Spices

• Flavors are products whose significant function
  in food is for flavoring rather than for
  nutritional value.
• In meat products, flavors may be used for
  characterizing purposes (lemon-pepper chicken),
  process enhancement or replacement (smoke, roast)
  or for general flavor enhancement (HVP, yeast,
  meaty flavors, etc.).
• Compounded flavors are flavors developed by
  combining specific ingredients in a certain ratio
  to achieve a desired product.
• Processed flavors are made by combining specific
  ingredients in a certain ratio, and then reacting
  them together under controlled conditions
  (temperature, pH ) in order to achieve a desired
  product.

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Brine (Marinade) Systems

• The function of brine systems is to distribute
  flavors and functional ingredients throughout the
  product
• Ingredients must be easily diffused into the
  product
• Typical ingredients include salt, phosphate,
  starches, carrageenan, and flavors
• Dry ingredients should have a fine particle size
  and be water dispersible - make sure the
  ingredients will not clog injection needles
• Liquid ingredients must be water dispersible -
  oils must have emulsifiers
• Adjust ingredient levels to different pump levels
  - flavors may have a different impact and release
  at higher pump levels

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Problems to Avoid with Marinade Systems

• Acidic conditions may reduce yield and change the
  appearance of the product.
• Anti-caking agents may be needed for plated
  ingredients.
• Flavors may fade over time, depending on storage
  conditions.
• Some customers prefer dry ingredients to
  facilitate handling in the plant.
• Microbial contamination from ingredients - use
  quality ingredients.
• Enzymes such as lipase in black pepper and onion
  may cause oxidation of oils.

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Topical Rubs

• The functions of topical rubs are to add color,
  enhance visual appearance and add distinctive
  flavor characteristics to meat products.
• Topical rubs may be used alone or in conjunction
  with brine systems.
• Topical rubs should compliment brine systems.
• Coverage is important - typical rate of use for
  meat products is 2 to 5.
• Browning agents such as maillose, dextrose and
  caramel coloring may be added to the rub.