Studies on the wholesomeness of ready-to-eat meat products. II. Chemical evaluation of comminuted heated products.

Chemical parameters obtained for 280 samples randomly selected from a variety of ready-to-eat meat products were used to assess nutritional value and wholesomeness. The products investigated in this study include wieners, bologna, meat loaves, sausages, liver products and mortadella. Evaluations of gross composition (moisture, fat, protein,) were found to be insufficient to fully characterize these products. Fat/protein and water/protein quotients reflected well on the nutritional quality. Limitations in the application of these and other parameters are shown. Correlations of physico-chemical parameters such as redox-potential and available water to susceptibility to bacterial spoilage within this closely defined group were statistically insignificant.