Longitudinal effects of sodium chloride and ingoing nitrite concentration and source on the quality characteristics and microbial communities of deli-style ham

The effects of sodium chloride and nitrite concentration on shelf life and physicochemical characteristics were evaluated in deli-style ham. Treatments manufactured in three replicates in a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement of NaCl concentration (0.7%, 1.4%, or 2.1%, meat block basis) and ingoing nitrite concentration and source (0 ppm, 100 ppm, or 200 ppm sodium nitrite (SN), or 100 ppm sodium nitrite equivalent from celery juice powder (CP) were stored for up to 16 weeks. Aerobic plate counts decreased as NaCl increased except there was no difference within 0 SN controls regardless of NaCl (P < 0.05). Ingoing nitrite concentration affected bacterial community composition (P = 0.005), as pairwise PERMANOVA of nitrite treatments found differences in community composition between 0 SN control and 100 SN, and 100 CP and 200 SN (P < 0.05). 0 SN control and 100 CP, 100 CP and 100 SN, and 100 SN and 200 SN had no significant difference (P > 0.168). Both nitrite amount and source can modulate bacterial composition. Bacterial communities were predominated by Pseudomonadaceae. Overall, this study suggests 200 ppm ingoing sodium nitrite provides the greatest shelf life to deli-style ham, and 0.7% sodium chloride results in inferior product quality and the shortest shelf life.