The production process of luncheon meat generally includes the following steps:
- Raw Material Preparation
- Select high-quality pork or beef. Usually, the meat with appropriate fat content is preferred to ensure the taste and texture of luncheon meat. Trim the meat to remove excess fat, connective tissue and bones, and cut it into small pieces.
- Prepare other auxiliary materials, such as salt, sugar, monosodium glutamate, sodium nitrite (in appropriate amounts as a preservative and color fixative), spices (such as pepper, cinnamon, etc.), and starch. The starch helps to bind the meat and improve the texture of the luncheon meat.
- Meat Mincing and Mixing
- Put the cut meat pieces into a meat grinder and grind them into minced meat. The degree of mincing can be adjusted according to different product requirements.
- Put the minced meat into a mixing machine, add the prepared seasonings and starch in proportion, and then add an appropriate amount of water. Stir evenly to make the seasonings fully penetrate into the meat and form a uniform mixture.
- Emulsification (Optional)
- In some production processes, an emulsifier may be used to emulsify the meat mixture. This can make the texture of the luncheon meat more delicate and uniform, and improve its water retention and oil retention properties.
- Canning
- Prepare clean cans. The cans should be sterilized in advance to ensure food safety. Fill the mixed meat paste into the cans, leaving a certain amount of headspace at the top of the can to prevent the contents from expanding and deforming the can during heat treatment.
- Seal the cans immediately after filling to prevent contamination by external bacteria and air.
- Sterilization
- Put the canned luncheon meat into a sterilizer for high-temperature sterilization. The sterilization temperature and time are usually determined according to the size of the cans and the specific product requirements. Generally, the sterilization temperature is between 115°C and 121°C, and the sterilization time is about 30 to 90 minutes.
- Cooling
- After sterilization, the luncheon meat cans need to be cooled immediately. This can be done by using cold water or an air cooling system. Rapid cooling can prevent the luncheon meat from overcooking due to continued high temperature and affect its quality.
- Quality Inspection
- Conduct a series of quality inspections on the cooled luncheon meat cans, including checking the appearance of the cans for damage, deformation, or rust; checking the seal of the cans to ensure that there is no leakage; and sampling some products for sensory evaluation, physical and chemical index detection and microbial detection.
- Packaging and Storage
- Pack the qualified luncheon meat cans into cartons for packaging. Mark the product name, ingredient list, production date, shelf life and other information on the carton. Store the packaged luncheon meat in a cool, dry place. The storage temperature is preferably between 0°C and 10°C to extend the shelf life of the product.
){kind=link}