FRANCOIS DEUMIER* writes in this first of a two part series ... - Lutetia

FRANCOIS DEUMIER* writes in this first
of a two part series, that massagers were
initially designed to ensure the consistent
formulation of food using ingredients and
additive+ by dry or wet (bdne) processes,
like meat salting or pickling.
ood product formulation
involves ingredients which are used
for their sensory and/or technological
properties. Some of these ingredients
are:
. Sodium chloride which acts on
flavour, preservation, protein
extraction, technological yield...
. Phosphates which act on cooking
yield, protein extraction, water
holding capacity
. Nitrite which is the specilic agent
for curing, which confers a
specific flavour to the meat and
which improves its preservation.
. Sugars which have an action
on colouring, flavour and
technological yield, and
. Antioxidants.
The main purpose of massaging is
to carry out a fast and homogeneous
formulation, and if necessary to
develop certain specific qualities on
the product (e.g. salt-soluble protein
extraction).
Massager working
principles
A massager (picture 1) is a
rotating cylindrical vat provided
with a baffle which ensures food
blending and massaging. This vat
can be with a single or a double
jacket and it is generally put under
a continuous vacuum or pulsed
vacuum.
Equipped with temperature probes
- possibly wireless, of pressure
sensors of revolution counter, of
weight sensors, of a programmable
microprocessor feeding a dataprocessing
supervision system
(picture 2), it allows an accurate and
thorough process control.
Massager flexibility
The massager allows salting and
pickling of most meat and seafood
products. In terms of formulation,
the processed productq can be salted,
cured, marinated or marinated and
coated.
They can be intended thereafter to
be marketed in the state. sterilized.
cooked, sous-vide cooked, dried and/
or smoked or dried, breaded and
fried, etc
Physical mechanisms of
massaging
Blendrng
While the vat is turning, the baffle
puts the products in motion, raises
them and lets them fall down. The
specilic shape of the massager's
baffle defines the relative movement
of the meat pieces to each other.
With the number of revolutions,
the baffle ensures the homogeneous
blending of meat pieces, renewing
the positions of the pieces, from the
bottom towards the front and from
the deepest to the surface.
Massaging ffict on meat structure
Massaging respects food structure
much more than mechanical armequipped
mixers and blenders do.
Indeed, during massaging, food
does not undergo shear stress. On
the other hand, massaging leads
to falling and must be used with
caution.
If the structure of the product has
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Picture 2
MALAXEUR 1
2l mbar
0 mbar
{ to be protected, we should advise to
turn slowly and to limit the number
of turns. Thus, one will rather
recommend 1000 to 1800 turns for
a superior ham against 4000 for a
basic high-yield ham, in the section
of which the muscle fibre will not be
even recognizable any more. Vacuum
also makes meat denser during
massaging, which helps mechanical
work,
For the most fragile products, it
is possible to work with a pendular
mode massaging by making cycles
of 75o/of a turn towards and
ttaen 75o/of a turn forwards, thus
preventing the product from falling.
Mass transfers during massaging
Diffusion mechanisms
Ingredient diffusion phenomena
in the meat are slow. Moreover,
heterogeneity of the meat is an
important limiting factor, since
mass transfers are slowed down by
connective tissue and fat. Ingredient
migration is fastest when parallel to
the direction of muscle fibres and
slowest when perpendicular, making
meat an anisotropic medium. During
massaging and according to the
process parameters, a more or less
important destructuration of meat
tissues is reached and it influences
the physical properties of the meat.
Hvdrodvnamic mechanisms
Many foods have a natural porosity
which can be high (e.g. apple) or
low (e.g. meat). Meat porosity is
the consequence of the presence of
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The massager allows salting and pickling of
most meat products.
intramuscular and intermuscular
spaces and arterial and venous
systems.
This porosity depends on the
pressure and on meat elasticity.
When meat is soaked in brine
during massaging, meat degasses
when pressure decreases and
aspires brine in its pores when
atmospheric pressure is recovered.
These hydrodynamic mechanisms
induce an infiltration of brine in
meat structure and thus increase the
exchange surface between meat and
brine.
Protein extraction during massaging
Until approximately 40gl
kg, sodium chloride solubilises
myolibrillar proteins by increasing
ionic strength. Beyond, proteins
are denatured. Phosphates also
contribute to a better solubilisation
of proteins. Indeed, they complex
t}ire Ca2+ ions and thus break
the Ca-bridges between actin and
myosin. By un-bridging acto-myosin,
phosphates increase solubility of
muscular proteins.
During massaging, salt and the
phosphates solubilise proteins which
migrate to muscles surface and
which form a'silt'with meat and
fibre fragments, water, ingredients
and fat. Thanks to its emulsifying
properties, this 'silt' is essential to
ensure the cohesion of the sous-vide
cooked products, reconstituted from
various muscles, as cooked pork
ham, cooked beef ham or poultrybased
cooked products. It also allows
a better binding of meat to the batter
for breaded products.
Protein extraction is enhanced
by the vacuum, which allows
eliminating air bubbles, It also
increases with temperature. It is
better to work between 6-8'C than
around OoC to optimize protein
extraction.
Ideal silt presents a protein content
of approximately 10o/o. It is clearly
visible and sticks.
Products stabilization during massaging
Vacuum massaging also allows
limiting the development of
alteration aerobic flora, especially
as the temperature is controlled
throughout the massaging (cooled
double-jacket).
With high rotating speeds,
the product undergoes a
mechanical heating prejudicial
to its microbiological quality.
However, after a massaging at high
temperature (more than I2"C),
one may observe small holes in the
cooked products.
It is then advisable to make
The processed products can be salted,
cured, marinated or marinated and coated.
They can be intended thereafter to be
marketed in the state.
AM:PM - May/une 2011

pauses by alternating static and
dynamic phases - with often the
obligation to lengthen the processing
time, or to implement a doublejacket.
In terms of temperature, we
recommend to worlç between 4-6oC
for good ingredients solubilisation,
and maintaining of the diffusion
properties without being detrimental
to the microbiological quality of
the products. For the most fragile
products, it is still possible to worlç
around 2'C but with reduced
technological performances.
Effect of massaging on cooking yield
Massaging also allows a binding
of water and ingredients on meat
protein. Because massaging softens
conjunctive tissue which gives a
structure to the muscle libres, muscle
proteins can occupy interstitial
spaces and to better bind brine
water and ingredients. However,
maintaining meat structure is
essential for good slicing behaviour
and for keeping a high water
Slow rotation massaging.
holding capacity. This is the reason
why, nowadays, we recommend
implementation of long, slow and
continuous treatments.
In addition, it seems that optimum
myosin extractability is observed
around 2'C, which could explain
why hams cooking yield is higher for
20C massaging. Generally, cooking
Iosses are lower for massaged meats
than for non-massaged meats.
Pressure control
Pressure control is also important.
Indeed, a higher level of vacuum
does nol accelerale diffusive
mechanisms whereas a too low
vacuum level will lead to vacuum
drying and cooling. A perfect
control of massaging parameters
(vacuum, temperature, mixing...)
- as recommended by LUTETIA - is
essential for formulation control.
Effects of massaging on meat prodttcts
quality
Massaging allows obtaining meat
tenderization and a good distribution
of the ingredients for better juiciness.
Vacuum also helps to maintain meat
under reducing conditions and then
colour development.
In the next issue François Deumier
will discuss different modes of use
of a massager and massaging in the
process line. r
*Fmrrçois Dennier, PhD (labo@lutetia.fr), is
RED Mmwger ard is based at Lutetia R&D
Cetûer, Frarrce, Lutetia l:lr.s for the ptst 30 years
beerr nntnfactu"ilry equipnrcrû for the foodprocessitrg
itrdustry. Lutetia today starrds ns orte
of Eru'ope's leadilry contparùes ilt its ntarket.
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cff4J out pro('essing operatiotts strch ns defrostirtg,
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AÀ/:PM - I\,4ayljune 201 I