Assessment of Food Safety and Physicochemical Properties of Sous-vide Cooked Steak in Lebanon

Abstract

Sous-vide cooking was recently introduced to the meat catering and hospitality in Lebanon. It is a heat cooking process that includes either precooked, packed products that need little or no additional heat treatment prior to consumption, doesn’t have low pH or low water activity, has an extended chilled shelf life, or ismarketed in sealed packages or containers. The aim of this study is to assess the microbial load and food safety of sous-vide meat produced in Lebanon while maintaining quality and palatable characteristics. Sous-vide process used tenderloin meat as raw material. Tenderloin meat was trimmed, cleaned, vacuum packed in plastic pouches and cooked atdifferent low heat, followed by chilled storage. After 6 hours, 24 hours, 5 days and 10 days of chilled storage samples were unpacked, portioned into steakandreheated. Samples were evaluated physicochemically by analysing pH, moister content and extract release volume and microbiologically by preparing a culture media followed by API experimental procedure. Results showed that ERV and moisture content decreased significantly but within acceptable limits and that the cooking method had no effect onpH.A significant decrease to zero microorganisms was observed after sous-vide cooking which remained constant throughout the storage period and after reheating, while pathogenic organisms were not detected. Thus, the present study indicates that sous-vide cooking is a safe technique for mass production of steak with an improved shelf life.