Meat and poultry
The applicat
ion of
ozone in the food industry, both for processing the product packaging, has
spread
across a large scale.Ozone is very effective (compared with other sterilization such as chlorine) in the destruction of botrytis Cyrene, parasitic fungus is particularly harmful for viticulture, and in killing bacteria such as Salmonella enteritidis and Escherichia Coli. Furthermore, it eliminates unpleasant odors, but it is also able to enhance the fragrance of some fruits scented like strawberries.
Ozone increases the time of food storage through the reduction of the microbial surface both in gaseous form and water-dissolved form. In the first case the air is introduced in local storage with the addition of ozone required to destroy microorganisms. In the second case, however, ozone is used to disinfect equipment and process water.
The shelf life of beef, veal, lamb, pork, chicken and rabbit in an environment that contains ozone has a longer duration than in the storage atmosphere under normal conditions, and it preserves the organoleptic characteristics. About meat, in particular, ozone is used for sterilization and processing environments (in the refrigerator or in refrigerated display) that the instruments used, increasing the shelf life of products into them. The odors of organic nature will be deleted and it is possible to keep the moisture in the cells at a higher level by lowering the weight loss.
The poultry industry in particular benefits from ozone. Carcasses of poultry must be soaked in cold water before being treated: that’s why it is contaminated by microorganisms such as E. Coli and salmonella. To be reused, it must be sterilized and in this regard ozone is the most effective way to do it and allowing both to reduce wastage of water.
Other ozone uses are disinfection and sterilization in air and in the preparation of meat products like bacon, rolled bacon, ham and salami seasoned with long aging. Ozone allows to use less water and reduce the number of rinses without leaving toxic residues. Thanks to ozone it is possible to rid mites in meat products or to remove mold in the curing salt. Ozone is also very effective in the decontamination of spices, nuts or dried herbs, dried grated coconut.
