Experiments on wet and dry curing of porcine muscle (longissimus dorsi) were all carried out in the absence of nitrite. Meat was processed in 3.0% NaCl by dry salting or by soaking in brine for 3 days at 2 degreesC. During the 3-day period of dry curing, total viable microbial counts and counts of various types of microorganisms except lactic acid bacteria were reduced on the meat surface. Compared with those for wet cured meat, there were greater decreases in the total viable counts and the counts of Cram-negative rods and Gram-positive cocci on the dry cured meal. After the meat was dry-cured at 3.0% or 6.0% NaCl for 1 day or 3 days, the cured meat then containing various concentrations of NaCl was further cured in brine, which was adjusted to have a final NaCl concentration of 3.0%. in every case, the brine concentration of curved products ended up at the expected value alter wet curing for about 14 days. Lactic acid bacteria predominated among the final flora of the cured meat. Following the wet curing, counts of Gram-negative rods and Gram-positive cocci on the meat dry-cured at 3.0% for 3 days continued to be lower than these counts on the meat that have been only wet cured. In conclusion, we were able to utilize the bacteriostatic action of dry curing to eliminate the use of nitrite in the initial stage of curing and to manufacture meat products with the consumers' favorite salty taste similar to that of wet cured products.
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