Researchers at the University of Leipzig in Germany have found that pulsed light treatments can significantly reduce pathogens on pork skin but that the non-thermal technology is not as effective when applied to pork loin.
These findings suggest that further studies are needed to optimize the technology for use on meat and other food products, the researchers reported.
In the study, pulsed light was applied to pathogen-inoculated pork skin and pork loin products. Reductions on pork skin ranged from 1.73 to 3.16 log for Salmonella Typhimurium and from 1.48 to 4.37 log for Yersinia enterocolitica. Microbial reduction was significantly lower on pork loin, varying between a minimum of 0.4 and a maximum of 1.7 log for both pathogens.
The study also showed that pulsed light modified the color parameters and produced odor changes in both pork skin and pork loin.
Source : Meatingplace