Evaluation of the use of remote-control systems for continuous monitoring of a during ripening of dry sausages

摘要

An issue of pivotal importance in food preservation is the state of the water that food contain or, more precisely, the water activity (a_w) value. In many technological processes and during drying of sausages and, in particular, of salami, there is aprogressive decrease in a_w which ensures, along with the synergistic action of other factors, product preservability. As only few are the experiences on the use of instruments for in situ control of continuous evolution of the a_w of these foods, the aim of this work was to evaluate the use of a_w measurement systems based on new generation capacitive sensors. For that purpose a new commercial apparatus consisting of sensors equipped with data recording systems and their remote transfer was taken intoconsideration.