Validação do processo de cozimento e defumação do embutido cozido – linguiça tipo calabresa

Abstract

Nowadays, agro-industries face the challenge of meeting client's expectations, which are increasingly demanding on choosing their products. This study aimed to validate the process of cooking and smoking of sausages by checking cooking conditions in a commercial smokehouse. In a slaughterhouse located in the western region of Paraná, during 5 days in a row of processing sausage, it was collected samples of the product, in triplicate, in the following steps of process: 1) Raw sausage (after inlaying), 2) Raw and after dye application, 3) after cooking and artificial smoking and 4) after cooking and natural smoking. In these sample collection points, it was evaluated water activity (Aw), moisture content and total mesophilic bacterial count (CFU/g), which had the initial results of 0.9847; 63.72% e 1,1 x 104 CFU/g, respectively. After the end of the cooking process it was a decrease in all parameters, such as, Aw 0.93053, moisture content was 52.81% (according to the current legislation) and mesophilic bacterial count, 1,0 x 101 CFU/g. These sausage characteristics at the end of the process indicate that the cooking process was efficient. It wasn't a significant difference (p > 0.05) between each step of sample collection during the five days of tracking. Through this information, we can imply that the process is only operating with influence of normal causes, or inherent of variation.