Pastırma is a traditional dry-cured meat product made from whole pieces of cattle or water buffalo carcasses. Sixteen or more types of pastırma can be produced from different parts of the carcass. This study investigated the effect of low salt processing (3% NaCl) on the lipolytic enzyme activity, volatile profile, color, lipid oxidation, and microbiological properties of commonly produced types of pastırma (kuşgömü, sırt, bohça, and şekerpare). In the study, 5% NaCl level was used as the control group. For all pastırma types, the pH changed between 5.5 and 6.0. The a_w value was less than 0.90 for the pastırma types. The L* value increased when the salt level decreased from 5% to 3% (p < 0.05); however, the salt level did not affect the a* and b* values (p > 0.05). Reducing the salt level increased the neutral lipase activity and decreased the TBARS. As the salt level increased, the acid lipase activity increased in the bohça pastırma, and the phospholipase activity increased in the kuşgömü and sırt pastırma (p < 0.05). Furthermore, while Micrococcus/Staphylococcus constituted the dominant microbiota in pastırma types, a 5% salt level led to a decrease in the number of lactic acid bacteria. The volatile compounds were more affected by salt level than by pastırma type. The correlation analysis showed that there are some differences between 3% and 5% salt levels and the use of a 3% salt level increases the abundance of the compounds. The correlation analysis also revealed that there are differences between the pastırma types in terms of the volatile compounds and that kuşgömü pastırma differs from other pastırma types.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different drying methods on salted goose meat, with a particular focus on its microstructure, drying kinetics, color, TBARS (Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances), rehydration, and shrinkage parameters. Goose breast meat with 6% (w/w) salt was dried using hot air and infrared drying at temperatures of 55 °C, 65 °C, and 75 °C, as well as microwave at power levels of 120 W, 350 W, and 460 W. The results revealed that increasing temperature and power levels increased the drying rate in all drying methods. The microwave-dried samples at 460 W and 350 W showed the highest average L* values, followed by the samples dried at 75 °C using infrared and hot air. On the other hand, the lowest temperature (55 °C) and power (120 W) levels resulted in the highest average TBARS values across all drying processes. Furthermore, the highest shrinkage rate was observed at the highest temperature (75 °C) or power level (460 W), while the highest average rehydration rate was recorded in the samples dried at 75 °C using infrared and hot air. Considering the microstructure of the dried meats, the drying method and the temperature/power conditions were found to cause a change in the fibril structures to varying extents.

Various drying techniques are employed for the dehydration of fresh meat, and the evaluation of drying kinetics is crucial for determining parameters such as drying rate and energy efficiency. Recent studies have focused on developing innovative drying techniques, among which ultrasound-assisted vacuum drying (UAVD) has gained prominence. In this study, the drying process of turkey breast meat was investigated using both vacuum drying (VD) and UAVD at different temperatures (50°C, 60°C, and 70°C). The drying kinetics were analyzed using six different thin-layer drying models. Samples were dried until their moisture content fell below 20%, and the obtained drying data were successfully fitted to the six thin-layer drying models, with R² values ranging from 0.983 to 0.999. The logarithmic drying model was identified as the best-fitting model, and UAVD was found to be more effective than conventional vacuum drying. Moreover, drying efficiency in UAVD improved with increasing temperature, demonstrating its potential as an advanced drying technique for poultry meat processing.

This study investigated the effects of different saffron (Crocus sativus L.) addition rates on the physicochemical, mineral, and microbiological quality characteristics of vacuum-packaged beef meatballs during storage. Meatball samples were prepared in four different formulations: control (0%), 0.25%, 0.50%, and 1% saffron addition, vacuum-packaged, and stored at 4°C for 28 days. pH, moisture, color parameters (L*, a*, and b*), thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and microbiological analyses were performed on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 of storage, while mineral content was determined at the end of production. Saffron level significantly affected pH, moisture, color parameters, TBARS, mineral content, Enterobacteriaceae, and yeast and mold counts (P0.05). Storage time significantly affected all physicochemical and microbiological parameters evaluated during storage (P<0.01). Increasing the saffron content decreased the L* value while significantly increasing the a* and b* values, altering the color characteristics of the meatballs. During storage, pH and moisture content decreased, while TBARS values increased. Among the minerals, Mn and Ca showed concentration-dependent increases, whereas the other elements exhibited non-linear variations among the formulations. In addition, the Enterobacteriaceae count was lower in samples containing 1% saffron than in other groups. The results indicate that saffron mainly affected the color characteristics of the meatballs, while its effects on lipid oxidation, mineral composition, and microbial counts were concentration and matrix-dependent.