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Effect of gelatin dip on the oxidative and colour
stability of cooked ham and bacon pieces during frozen
storage
R. Villegas, T. P. OConnor,* J. P. Kerry & D. J. Buckley
Department of Food Science and Technology, University College, Cork, Ireland
(Received 6 May 1998; Accepted in revised form 29 April 1999)
Summary Samples of cooked ham and bacon were dipped in water or 2, 4 or 6% gelatin solutions.
Samples were then packed in oxygen permeable or vacuum packaging lm and stored at
18 C for seven months. Lipid oxidation (TBARS) and colour stability (Hunter a* val-
ues) were assessed monthly. The gelatin coating exerted benecial effects on oxidative and
colour stability.
Keywords Colour deterioration, fat oxidation, packaging effect.
Introduction
Modern trends in convenience foods have result-
ed in the increased consumption of frozen foods
such as pizzas which can be prepared rapidly by
the consumer. Meat toppings used in these prod-
ucts are susceptible to oxidative and colour dete-
rioration during frozen storage which limits the
shelf-life of these products. Lipid oxidation
results in off-avours and odours, loss of polyun-
saturated fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins and
pigments and reduced consumer acceptability
(Gray et al., 1996).
Gelatin is a protein resulting from partial
hydrolysis of collagen using acid or alkali treat-
ment followed by or accompanied with heating in
the presence of water (Eastoe & Leach, 1977).
The principal raw materials used commercially
for gelatin manufacture are pork skins and
bovine hides, skins and bones (Gennadios et al.,
1994). Enzymatic processing is an alternative to
acid or alkali hydrolysis for conversion of colla-
gen to gelatin producing a higher purity, better
physical properties and a more narrow molecular
weight distribution (Hinterwaldner, 1977).
Research interest in edible coatings made from
proteins, polysaccharides and lipids has intensi-
ed in recent years. These coatings can help
maintain and improve the quality of fresh, frozen
and processed muscle foods by reducing moisture
loss, lipid oxidation and colour deterioration,
sealing in volatile avours, acting as carriers for
antimicrobial and antioxidant food additives and
reducing oil uptake during frying of breaded and
battered products (Gennadios et al., 1997).
Gelatin has been proposed, in patent disclo-
sures as early as 1869 (Harvard & Harmony,
1869) and 1895 (Morris & Parker, 1895), as a
preservative coating for meat and other foods.
Gelatin coatings have also been used to carry
antioxidants. Klose et al. (1952) reported that
turkey steaks sprayed with an aqueous gelatin
suspension of various antioxidants had 6090%
lower peroxide values in skin and meat fat than
uncoated controls during frozen storage at
12 C for six months. Marggrander & Hofmann
(1997) conducted studies to assess the effects of
spraying pork belly cuts with a 10% solution of
gelatin on changes in physicochemical and senso-
ry properties during frozen storage for up to 18
months. Gelatin coating reduced lipid oxidation
International Journal of Food Science and Technology 1999, 34, 385389
1999 Blackwell Science Ltd
385
(peroxide value and TBARS) and improved
retention of avour, taste and aroma during
frozen storage. Further patents have been grant-
ed for acidic, aqueous solutions of gelatin and a
metaphosphate polymer (Keil et al., 1960) and
aqueous solutions of metal gelatinates (Keil,
1961) as coatings on processed meats such as
sausages, Canadian bacon and boned hams which
offer protection against mould growth, lipid oxi-
dation and handling abuse.
The objective of the present work was to inves-
tigate if application of a gelatin coating by dip-
ping would delay the progress of lipid oxidation
and preserve colour in frozen meat pieces suitable
for use as pizza toppings.
Materials and methods
Chemicals
All chemicals used were Analar grade, obtained
from British Drug House, Poole, Dorset, UK,
and Sigma Chemical Co. Ltd., Poole, Dorset,
UK. Gelatin (from pork) was obtained from
DGS STOESS, Germany. The gelatin was pre-
pared by acid hydrolysis of collagen and had a
bloom value of 200 bloom grams.
Meat
Cooked ham and raw bacon rashers (both 3mm
thickness) were obtained from a local commercial
processor (Galtee Meats, Mitchelstown, Co.
Cork). The bacon was cooked at 200 C for 20
min in a fan-assisted oven, allowed to cool and
then cut into 5 cm squares. The cooked ham was
also cut into 5 cm squares. The meat pieces were
dipped into water (control) or 2, 4 or 6% gelatin
solutions at room temperature before being pack-
aged either aerobically or under vacuum. Vacuum
packaging was carried out using a Webomatic
Type D463 vacuum packer (Webomatic Vacuum
Packaging Systems, Werner Bonk, Mausegett 59,
Bochum, Germany). The vacuum packaging
material consisted of Cryovac polyamide/polyeth-
ylene 20/70 low oxygen permeable multiex lms
(Cryovac, W.R. Grace Europe Inc., Lausanne,
Switzerland) (45 ml m
2
24 h
1
at standard tem-
perature and pressure (STP)). Aerobically pack-
aged samples were wrapped with oxygen
permeable (60008000 ml m
2
24 h
1
at STP)
polyvinyl chloride lm (Wrap Film Systems Ltd.,
Haleseld 14, Telford, England). Samples were
then stored at 18 C in the dark until required
for analysis. Oxidative status and colour stability
were monitored after 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6 and 7 months
of storage.
Determination of lipid oxidation
Lipid oxidation in meat was assessed by measur-
ing thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances
(TBARS) using the method of Ke et al. (1977).
TBARS were expressed as mg malonaldehyde/kg
sample. Measurements were carried out on a sam-
Gelatin dip and stability of frozen ham and bacon R. Villegas et al.
International Journal of Food Science and Technology 1999, 34, 385389
386
1999 Blackwell Science Ltd
Table 1 Effect of gelatin on the oxidative stability of cooked ham aerobically or vacuum packed and stored at 18 C
Storage period (months) in aerobic package
Treatment 0 1 2 3 4 6 7
TBARS*
Control 0.39 (0.03) 0.53 (0.03) 0.67 (0.02) 0.87 (0.02) 0.86 (0.09) 1.71 (0.02) 3.08 (0.00)
2% gelatin 0.39 (0.03) 0.49 (0.05) 0.60 (0.04) 0.78 (0.03) 0.88 (0.08) 1.42 (0.06) 1.53 (0.01)
4% gelatin 0.39 (0.03) 0.41 (0.05) 0.51 (0.06) 0.52 (0.02) 0.65 (0.03) 0.66 (0.02) 1.62 (0.03)
6% gelatin 0.39 (0.03) 0.47 (0.05) 0.45 (0.08) 0.44 (0.03) 0.63 (0.04) 0.67 (0.05) 1.40 (0.03)
Storage period (months) in vacuum package
Treatment 0 1 2 3 4 6 7
TBARS*
Control 0.39 (0.03) 0.40 (0.05) 0.48 (0.06) 0.46 (0.05) 0.51 (0.02) 0.70 (0.06) 1.34 (0.02)
2% gelatin 0.39 (0.03) 0.44 (0.09) 0.48 (0.05) 0.50 (0.06) 0.50 (0.08) 0.48 (0.05) 1.22 (0.01)
4% gelatin 0.39 (0.03) 0.36 (0.02) 0.40 (0.01) 0.38 (0.07) 0.40 (0.00) 0.45 (0.01) 0.83 (0.04)
6% gelatin 0.39 (0.03) 0.43 (0.07) 0.39 (0.04) 0.40 (0.14) 0.39 (0.06) 0.38 (0.04) 0.84 (0.01)
*TBARS Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (mg malonaldehyde/kg sample)
Mean (S.D.), n 4
Fishers LSD (p 0.05) 0.14
ple size of four pieces of meat at each point. For
this particular TBARS analysis values in excess of
1.0 approximately correspond to rancidity levels
which would be detected by a trained sensory
panel.
Colour analysis
Hunter a* values were determined using a
Minolta Chromameter (Model CR-300, Minolta
Camera Co., Osaka, Japan). Colour was analyzed
by placing the calibrated hand-held probe of the
Minolta Chromameter in contact with the meat
pieces. Colour measurements were determined in
triplicate on a sample size of six pieces of meat at
each analysis point.
Statistical analysis
Data were analyzed using the MINITAB
Statistical Package (Minitab Inc., State College,
Pennsylvania, US) by two-way analysis of vari-
ance (ANOVA) followed by Fishers LSD test
(Snedecor & Cochran, 1967).
Results and discussion
Gelatin had a signicant effect (p 0.05) in low-
Gelatin dip and stability of frozen ham and bacon R. Villegas et al.
International Journal of Food Science and Technology 1999, 34, 385389
387
1999 Blackwell Science Ltd
Table 2 Effect of gelatin on the colour stability of cooked ham aerobically or vacuum packed and stored at 18 C
Storage period (months) in aerobic package
Treatment 0 1 2 3 4 6 7
Hunter a* values
1
Control 20.44 (1.20) 14.88 (3.10) 13.85 (2.40) 12.62 (1.50) 12.09 (2.38) 11.65 (2.32) 5.66 (2.34)
2% gelatin 20.44 (1.20) 17.25 (2.10) 18.70 (2.74) 18.16 (1.50) 19.00 (2.10) 16.47 (1.71) 14.05 (3.17)
4% gelatin 20.44 (1.20) 19.91 (3.29) 19.50 (1.29) 17.55 (1.23) 19.50 (1.45) 16.27 (2.34) 14.35 (2.01)
6% gelatin 20.44 (1.20) 19.87 (2.18) 20.40 (1.88) 18.24 (1.49) 20.14 (1.53) 18.71 (3.11) 12.53 (2.20)
Storage period (months) in vacuum package
Treatment 0 1 2 3 4 6 7
Hunter a* values
1
Control 20.44 (1.20) 17.66 (2.45) 17.53 (1.80) 17.03 (1.65) 15.54 (2.45) 14.90 (1.95) 12.81 (2.58)
2% gelatin 20.44 (1.20) 19.92 (3.23) 19.20 (2.35) 19.24 (3.30) 18.47 (3.23) 18.30 (2.35) 17.22 (1.51)
4% gelatin 20.44 (1.20) 20.57 (1.49) 21.39 (1.70) 18.51 (2.78) 18.68 (1.49) 17.08 (1.59) 15.69 (1.33)
6% gelatin 20.44 (1.20) 20.40 (2.24) 20.53 (1.92) 20.57 (1.67) 19.50 (2.24) 18.91 (2.39) 17.05 (0.52)
1
Hunter a* values Indicator of redness
Mean (S.D.), n 6
Fishers LSD (p 0.05) 2.43
Table 3 Effect of gelatin on the oxidative stability of cooked bacon aerobically or vacuum packed and stored at 18 C
Storage period (months) in aerobic package
Treatment 0 1 2 3 4 6 7
TBARS*
Control 0.58 (0.01) 0.91 (0.02) 0.95 (0.06) 1.10 (0.06) 1.41 (0.04) 1.80 (0.06) 1.91 (0.05)
2% gelatin 0.58 (0.01) 0.84 (0.03) 0.90 (0.02) 0.84 (0.04) 1.09 (0.08) 1.33 (0.03) 1.72 (0.05)
4% gelatin 0.58 (0.01) 0.72 (0.05) 0.84 (0.02) 0.80 (0.06) 1.10 (0.02) 1.32 (0.07) 1.42 (0.03)
6% gelatin 0.58 (0.01) 0.86 (0.02) 0.83 (0.04) 0.86 (0.03) 1.09 (0.02) 1.11 (0.02) 1.40 (0.02)
Storage period (months) in vacuum package
Treatment 0 1 2 3 4 6 7
TBARS*
Control 0.58 (0.01) 0.78 (0.07) 0.85 (0.09) 0.81 (0.06) 0.82 (0.09) 0.93 (0.02) 0.91 (0.01)
2% gelatin 0.58 (0.01) 0.60 (0.06) 0.57 (0.01) 0.62 (0.09) 0.62 (0.02) 0.62 (0.02) 0.73 (0.02)
4% gelatin 0.58 (0.01) 0.62 (0.05) 0.64 (0.02) 0.59 (0.07) 0.60 (0.09) 0.60 (0.09) 0.74 (0.05)
6% gelatin 0.58 (0.01) 0.54 (0.05) 0.56 (0.07) 0.50 (0.03) 0.58 (0.06) 0.58 (0.06) 0.61 (0.09)
*TBARS Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (mg malonaldehyde/kg sample)
Mean (S.D.), n 4
Fishers LSD (p 0.05) 0.16
ering TBARS in cooked ham (Table 1) both in
oxygen permeable packages and vacuum pack-
ages at all storage periods with the exception of
month 1. This effect was more apparent as stor-
age time increased and at higher concentrations
of gelatin. TBARS values were higher in aerobic
packaging than in vacuum packaging.
The colour of cooked ham (Hunter a* values)
deteriorated more rapidly in oxygen permeable
packaging than vacuum packaging (Table 2).
Gelatin treatment signicantly (p 0.05) reduced
colour deterioration at months 4, 6 and 7 in both
types of packaging and at months 2 and 3 in aer-
obic packaging.
Similar trends were observed with cooked
bacon. Control samples had signicantly (p
0.05) higher TBARS values compared to gelatin
treated samples at all storage times in both aero-
bic and vacuum packaging (Table 3). TBARS val-
ues were higher in the aerobically packaged
bacon. Hunter a* values for the cooked bacon
also deteriorated more rapidly when stored in
oxygen permeable packaging (Table 4) particular-
ly in the control samples. Gelatin treatment sig-
nicantly (p 0.05) reduced colour deterioration
in both types of packaging. Gelatin exerted bene-
cial effects even in vacuum packaged products
as presumably it reduced oxidative reactions due
to any trace amounts of residual oxygen in the
packs.
Gelatin lms have been reported to have good
oxygen barrier properties (Gennadios et al., 1994;
Krochta & de Mulder-Johnston, 1997). Our data
suggest that these oxygen barrier properties can
help reduce lipid oxidation and colour deteriora-
tion during frozen storage of meat products.
Dipping in gelatin solutions represents a simple
and inexpensive method of prolonging the shelf-
life of meat toppings in consumer products such
as frozen pizzas.
When considering the use of edible lm coat-
ings such as gelatin, it is important to ensure that
the coating wets and spreads on the food surface
and forms a coating with adequate adhesion,
cohesion and durability upon drying (Krochta &
de Mulder-Johnston, 1997). These properties are
affected by the edible lm formulation and by the
method of application of the lm. Whitman &
Rosenthal (1971) were granted a patent for solu-
bilization of gelatin in polyhydric alcohols such as
polypropylene or ethylene glycol, glycerol or sor-
bitol to generate coatings which were quick-set-
ting and exhibited good barrier and exibility
properties at low temperatures.
Conclusions
Gelatin coating improved oxidative and colour
stability of cooked ham and bacon during frozen
storage.
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Gelatin dip and stability of frozen ham and bacon R. Villegas et al.
International Journal of Food Science and Technology 1999, 34, 385389
388
1999 Blackwell Science Ltd
Table 4 Effect of gelatin on the colour stability of cooked bacon aerobically or vacuum packed and stored at 18 C
Storage period (months) in aerobic package
Treatment 0 1 2 3 4 6 7
Hunter a* values
1
Control 19.18 (1.25) 16.48 (1.68) 15.39 (1.95) 13.25 (1.13) 13.34 (2.70) 12.73 (1.50) 8.90 (2.50)
2% gelatin 19.18 (1.25) 18.14 (0.81) 17.66 (1.69) 15.10 (1.93) 16.10 (0.64) 15.75 (1.40) 14.20 (2.70)
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6% gelatin 19.18 (1.25) 19.33 (0.59) 18.02 (1.96) 16.46 (1.52) 16.24 (1.38) 16.37 (1.58) 14.99 (2.70)
Storage period (months) in vacuum package
Treatment 0 1 2 3 4 6 7
Hunter a* values
1
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International Journal of Food Science and Technology 1999, 34, 385389
389
1999 Blackwell Science Ltd