Nham Product Development Using Mixed Bacterial Starter Cultures 5. Effect of Sodium Nitrate and Sodium Nitrite on Nham Production

Abstract

The use of different level of sodium nitrate and sodium nitrite for Nham production with mixed bacterial starter cultures was investigated. In fact that 500 ppm and 200 ppm of sodium nitrate were used in Nham formulation and 200 ppm and 100 ppm of sodium nitrite were also studied. It was found that the Nham formulation which was composed of 500 ppm of NaNO₃ and 200 ppm of NaNO₂ was the best formulation for acceptability and the rate of red pink colour development was also better and more quickly than the others. The mean ideal ratio score of overall acceptability of the best one was 0.99+0.05. Additionally, during 48 hours of Nham fermentation, there was a marked decline in the proportion of pH which was 4.05-4.13 at the end of fermentation. On the other hand, there was a rapid increase in total acidity during that period. The acid development was 1.018-1.047% at the last period of Nham fermentation. As a result of this, residual nitrite had also been changing and there was a very small amount of residual nitrite after 48 hours of fermentation (21.66-24.88 ppm). On this basis, it may be concluded that some residual nitrite was reduced and then reacted with myoglobin in meat for Nham colour development.