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This study was conducted to determine the microbiological status of 390 beef and pork minced meat samples collected over three years from 52 retailers in the territory of Belgrade. The numbers of aerobic colony counts, Escherichia coli, and the presence of Salmonella spp. are prescribed criteria for this group of meat semi‑products. Salmonella spp. was confirmed in one sample of minced beef meat (0.8%), while unsatisfactory E. coli counts were only determined in pork meat samples (2.7%). In 2021, all samples complied with the microbiological criteria for minced meat The highest occurrence of positive samples was observed during the III quarter of 2022 (P=0.04) with a frequency of 9.3%. The level of contamination of minced pork with E. coli bacteria in the same quarter was significantly higher compared to the II quarter of 2022 (627±75 vs. 292±9 cfu/g, P=0.009). Improvement of process hygiene and revision of process control, along with permanent education of food staff on the principles of GMP and GHP, are necessary for maintaining food safety and public health.

The aim of this work is to ensure the safety of finely chopped cooked sausages stuffed in a cellulose casing, diameter 21 mm. Safety is ensured by thermal treatment of the level of pasteurization in a chamber under a defined thermal treatment program. By monitoring the temperature in the product’s thermal center at different control positions in the chamber, temperatures of 75.26℃–77.11°C were determined with a thermocouple. In doing so, the products spent 8–9 minutes at a temperature higher than 70°C, and 18–20 minutes at a temperature higher than 55°C. Considering that it is a small diameter product, the heat intensively penetrates to the thermal center and thus ensures the safety of the product. However, due to the relatively short time of the heat treatment, the pasteurization values (pv) at the control points were in the range of 18.3–26 minutes. Therefore, we conclude that ensuring the safety of products with a narrower diameter is achieved only by controlling the temperature in the thermal center of the product, and not with pv values. Considering that this sausage is a perishable product, it is necessary to provide a proper cold chain (0–4℃) after manufacture so that the product remains suitable for consumption within the period defined in a shelf‑life study.

Parasites are highly significant pathogens that are transmitted through food. Their specificlife cycles, transmission routes, and usually a lengthy period between infection and the firstsymptoms of the disease make them a substantial risk to public health. Additionally, thereare challenges in detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Toxoplasmosis is considered the mostwidespread parasitic infection on a global scale. It is caused by the protozoan Toxoplasmagondii, one of the most successful parasites of animals and humans due to its ability to parasitizewithin the nuclei of a wide range of hosts. Because of its importance in both veterinaryand human medicine, T. gondii is one of the most extensively studied parasites. Existing datashow seroprevalences differ across continents, countries, and even within states and amongspecific communities. Consuming undercooked meat presents one of the greatest risk factorsfor human infection with the T. gondii parasite, with pork being recognized as a dominantsource of infection.

Milk fat is a highly valuable product, which is why accurate determination of its content in milk and milk products is very important. The use of the GC-FID method in our study proved to be very precise, as in the case of other authors, which signifies the importance of using this method to quantify milk fat. A total of 51 samples of dairy products were analyzed for fatty acid composition with particular attention to butyric acid. Butyric acid contents were in the range from 3.4 ± 0.73 in yogurt to 4.60 ± 0.08 in butter. Milk fat was in the range from 98.5 ± 4.77 in yogurt to 115.0 ± 1.73 in butter. Our results were in accordance with those of many other authors. Development of butyric acid and milk fat analyses in dairy products by GC-FID is essential for laboratories that must conduct analyses for food production, quality control during production, and inspection tasks for the import and export of these food products.

In the overall meat production, pork accounted for over 50%. The trend in meat production during the observed period indicates an increase in production volume. The increased production volume is based on the fact that the slaughtering of cattle and the import of live animals to Serbia (pigs and poultry) for feeding and slaughtering as live animals from Serbia have both increased. The crisis in livestock farming in Serbia is evident from the data that the average value of meat and processed meat products imported and the value of live animal imports averaged over $US 150 million from 2012 to 2021.

Consumption of Toxoplasma gondii contaminated pork is a major risk factor for human infection. We thus conducted a cross-sectional survey on the seroprevalence of T. gondii infection in a representative sample of slaughter pigs from throughout Serbia and examined the influence of farm biosecurity-related risk factors on infection. In addition, direct detection of the parasite (by mouse bioassay) or its DNA was performed in the hearts of a subset of seropositive sows. The overall seroprevalence in the sample of 825 pigs as determined by the modified agglutination test (MAT) was 16.5%. Older age and inadequate rodent control were independent infection risk factors for pigs. In a subset of 581 pigs with complete biosecurity-related data, in addition to older age, smallholders’ finishing type farms (as opposed to farrow-to-finish), multispecies farming, and origin from Western and Central and South-Eastern Serbia (vs. the Northern region), all increased the risk of infection, while the absence of disinfection boot-dips in front of each barn and Belgrade district origin (vs. the Northern region) were associated with a 62% and 75% lower risk of infection, respectively. Evidence of viable parasites was obtained in 13 (41.9%) of the 31 bioassayed sow hearts, of which by isolation of brain cysts in seven, by detection of T. gondii DNA in an additional four, and by serology in another two. Recovery of brain cysts mostly (5/7) from sows with a MAT titre of ≥1:100 indicates the risk for consumers. These results highlight the public health risk from pork consumption and point to mandatory use of professional rodent control services, abstaining from multispecies farming, keeping disinfection boot-dips clean and freshly refilled, as well as strict implementation of zoo-hygienic measures on smallholders’ farms as specific farm biosecurity measures needed for its reduction.

Poslednjih godina, pažnja istraživača u oblasti nauke o mesu posvećena je u velikoj meri alternativi konvencionalnoj proizvodnji mesa, odnosno proizvodnji mesa in vitro. To se vidi iz brojnih saopštenja u prestižnim svetskim časopisima, kao i u sredstvima javnog informisanja. I sami naslovi, u naučnim časopisima ukazuju na to da je meso in vitro nešto, neočekivano. Među tim naslovima pominjemo neke: “Mogućnost nemogućeg”, “Vi to proizvodite, da li i jedete?”, “Od fikcije do stvarnosti”, “Kultura, meso i kultivisano meso”, “Izazovi i benefiti”, “Zašto i kako?”, “Mit o kultivisanom mesu”, “Ep o proizvodnji mesa in vitro”, itd. Mada se o mogućnosti proizvodnje mesa in vitro govorilo pre više od 90 godina, prvi proizvod od mesa in vitro, goveđa pljeskavica, proizvedena je 2013. godine. Od tada se o mesu in vitro govori sa različitih aspekata (proizvodnja, zdravlje, bezbednost, nutritivna vrednost, prihvatljivost, dobrobit životinja, etički i verski pristup, zaštita životne sredine, ekonomska opravdanost, populacija stanovništva, potrebe za proteinima, funkcionalna hrana, prerada mesa, tržište mesa i zakonska regulativa). Danas se u svetu, preko 40 laboratorija bavi ispitivanjem mogućnosti proizvodnje mesa in vitro, a neke imaju i projektovane kapacitete proizvodnje (godišnje, mesečne) i proizvode meso za tržište. U svetu već ima specijalizovanih restorana koji pripremaju obroke od mesa in vitro.

Meat softening is used in culinary and meat processing, which is the final part of meat technology. In this way, it is easier to digest meat in the digestive tract of people. The softening of meat is especially important due to the fact that the number of people over the age of 60 in the world is constantly increasing, with poor tooth status and various oral diseases. For this population, food needs to be modified to allow its nutritional value (macro and micronutrients) to be utilized.Meat tendering procedures can be divided into physical and chemical. The oldest of the chemical procedures is certainly the enzymatic softening with endoenzymes of meat, which man met empirically while he was a hunter. Postmortem endoenzymes play a significant role in softening the meat, ie its maturation. Proteolytic enzymes (calpains, proteases, cathepsins) are involved in this process, which affect the degradation of myofibrils and cytoskeleton proteins. Calpains are cysteine proteases that destroy myofibril proteins (tropomyosin, troponin T, troponin I, C-protein, connectin, tiptin, vinculin, and desmin).Broiler breast meat (Cobb 500) without visible myopathies was used in this study. The meat was deboned, vacuumed and stored at + 3 ° C for seven days. On the first, fourth and seventh days of storage, the color (“L”, “a” and “b” values), pH value and texture (Instron 4301) were tested and sensory evaluation was performed (odor, taste, aftertaste, chewability, juiciness and overall impression). The pH value of the meat increased from 5.89 on the first day to 6.17 on the seventh day. The parameters of the color value decreased from the first to the seventh day (“L” value from 59.98 to 57.36, “a” value from 2.28 to 2.07 and “b” value from 7.40 to 6.63) . The texture of the breast meat decreased from 47.91 N to 43.91 N. Sensory scores increased from the first to the seventh day. Examination of physical parameters (pH, color, texture) and sensory evaluation of broiler breast meat revea

Infection with the apicomplexan protozoon Toxoplasma gondii is one of the most prevalent parasitic zoonotic infections globally, with existing seroprevalences varying between continents, countries, and even within countries and between individual communities. It is estimated that one third of the world's human population is infected with T. gondii, with many studies showing that the dominant mode of infection is consumption of undercooked meat harbouring T. gondii tissue cysts. Prevalences of infection in food animals in different countries range from 0 to 93%. Because of the absence of clinical symptoms in infected animals, and the unfeasibility of rapid and unequivocal detection of microscopic tissue cysts in pork, infected pigs remain unrecognized, and their meat becomes an essential source of infection for humans. The data on T. gondii infection in pigs in Serbia from several studies, as well as on the detection of the parasite in different food categories, from fresh pork to heat-treated products, are discussed.

The aim of this study was to determine relationships between final mass of broilers and the histomorphological properties of individual segments of the gastrointestinal tract. This is confirmed by the obtained results, which indicate a strong and significant correlation between compared parameters. A strong significant (p<0.05) correlation (r=0.866) was found between the broiler final weight and the duodenal villus length, and between the broiler final weight and the caecal villus length (r=0.918). Correlation between the broiler final weight and the duodenal villus width (r=0.841), as well the caecal villi width (r=0.918) was strongly significant (p<0.05). Between the crypt depths in caecum correlation was medium and significant (r=0.701, p<0.05). It was determined that between the broiler final weights and the ratio of villus length and crypt depth there is a significant medium correlation (r = 0.736, p<0.05). A strong (r = 0.924) significant (p <0.05) correlation was found between the broiler final weight and the ratio of villus length and caecal crypt depth. Between final mass of broilers and other histomorphological properties of individual segments of intestine there was no significant correlation.

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of the use of CLA (2%), from days 1, 11 or 22 of fattening, on selected production results (broiler weight after each fattening phase including at the end of fattening, viability, average daily gain and feed conversion) on the efficiency of fattening during the whole fattening period (42 days). The obtained production results were used to calculate the European production efficiency factor (EPEF) and the European broiler index (EBI) values for each fattening phase as well as for the whole fattening. The results obtained indicate that, in the later stages of fattening, the use of CLA during the whole fattening period is economically more justified than the non-CLA diets used for control broilers. With the use of CLA throughout the whole fattening, the EPEF and EBI values are consistent with these values calculated for the Cobb 500 standard. In addition to economic justification, the use of CLA also has human nutritional significance, since the broiler meat is enriched with CLA and has a more favourable n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio.

The genetic selection toward bigger broilers provoked the development of muscular myopathies and abnormalities. Since the affected meat is downgraded and often inadequate for further processing, economic losses to the broiler industry are inevitable. In addition, not only the nutritional value of the meat has been decreased, but also sensory properties and technological traits seem to concern consumers more. This can have a very negative attitude toward poultry meat as consumers connect these traits with poor animal welfare. To avoid these problems in the future, new studies must be focused on identifying markers in live birds for newly developed myopathies. Also, better strategies for determining genetic factors, nutritional and slaughter conditions, and hence meat quality, are a complex concept, and all factors together have an impact on parameters of meat quality.

In monogastric animals, tissue fatty acid profile directly reflects the fatty acid profile present in the animal's diet. Inadequate ratio of fatty acids in food can lead to negative effects on human health. Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is a group of isomers of linoleic acid (C18:2), and its most interesting role is in the prevention of tumors, atherosclerosis and diabetes. CLA is found in ruminant meat and milk, and since pigs and poultry do not have the ability to synthesize CLA, it is possible to add them to animal feed with biotechnological solutions. The scientific public imposes modern parameters for determining the nutritional value of fatty acids, in which the AI – index of atherogenicity, TI – index of thrombogenicity and H/H - hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio are distinguished. The aim of this study was to determine the effect CLA addition to the diet of non-ruminants on the lipid indices of certain categories of meat, from the aspect of consumer health needs. A significant influence of the correction of feed's fatty acid composition on the lipid indices in food of animal origin was determined.

Moderna industrija brojlera, pored značajnih proizvodnih rezultata koje beleži uzgoj novih hibrida koji dostižu veliku telesnu masu za veoma kratko vreme i odličnu konverziju hrane. U novije vreme, zapažen je porast broja jedinki koje su osetljivije na stres i na razvoj novih miopatija koje imaju ključnu ulogu za zdravstveni status brojlera i posebno na kvalitet mesa. Poslednjih deset godina, proizvođače širom sveta najviše zabrinjava pojava nove miopatije pod nazivom „drvenaste grudi“ koja zahvata najvredniji deo trupa brojlera – filete grudi (m. pectoralis major). Naziv ove miopatije potiče od promena zahvaćenih mišića koji postaju znatno tvrđe konzistencije, najverovatnije kao posledica fibroze. Pored promene konzistencije, mišić je bleđe boje, sa mestimičnim mrljastim ili tačkastim krvavljenjima, a po površini mišića često se može zapaziti prisustvo mutne, lepljive i želatinozne materije. Histološki, drvenaste grudi predstavljaju polifazno miodegenerativno oboljenje, što se uočava istovremenim nalazom degenerativnih i regenerativnih promena u mišićnom tkivu. Zapaža se povećan broj degenerisanih i atrofičnih mišićnih vlakana, koja nemaju karakterističnu poprečnu ispruganost. Mišićna vlakna su različitog oblika i veličine, a čest je i nalaz gigantskih vlakana. Takođe su prisutne vakuolarna degeneracija i liza miofibrila, infiltracija mononuklearnih ćelija (limfocita), izražena lipidoza i intersticijalna fibroza. Promene mogu biti fokalne ili difuzne, a intenzivnije su sa starošću brojlera. Ove patohistološke i biohemijske modifikacije mišića ne predstavljaju pitanje rizika bezbednosti hrane, ali se i te kako odražavaju na kvalitet mesa. Dokazan je negativan uticaj ove miopatije na sposobnosti vezivanja vode prilikom zamrzavanja i kuvanja mesa, slabijeg upijanja marinade tokom mariniranja i izmenu teksture. Meso drvenastih grudi je tvrđe, gumastije, elastičnije i ima veću otpornost prilikom žvakanja u odnosu na normalne filete. Svi ovi faktori zajedno dovode do nep

Recently, poultry meat production and consumption has become increased worldwide. Decades of intensive selection in poultry breeding resulted in fast-growing broilers, improved food conversion, low production costs, and high yield of breast meat, as the most valuable part of the carcass. Some side-effects of intensive production and rapid growth of broilers include the appearance of myopathies in breast muscle. Increasing attention has been paid to the defect known as "wooden breast" (WB) due its incidence and severity of anomaly. WB is characterized by the hardness and pale colour of the fillet. These changes lower the consumer acceptance of the meat, and a pronounced WB is unsuitable for culinary and industrial processing. Different procedures can be used to tenderize the meat and include physical and chemical procedures, often combined in industry. Physical procedures comprise the application of heating, mechanical force, ultrasound, electric stimulation, hydrodynamic shock wave-pressure technology, high pressure processing, and pulsed electric field. Chemical procedures include marinating, exposure to the endogenous enzymes, and the use of exoenzymes. In the future, it is necessary to develop optimal tenderizing techniques or combinations of different tenderizing techniques to achieve better sensory quality and improved nutritional value of WB.

This study aimed to examine the effect of shortening the effective heat treatment time by 15 minutes for finely and coarsely chopped sausages and canned meat in pieces packed in polyamide casings with diameters of 75 and 90 mm. Product safety was ensured in accordance with legislation and with the producer food safety system. Optimization led to a decrease in p-values for finely chopped sausages (diameter 90: 148.8 → 97.64 minutes; diameter 75: 111.2 → 58.4 min), coarsely chopped cooked sausages (diameter 90: 115.5 → 79.1 min; diameter 75: 245.3 → 106.6 min) and for canned meat in pieces (diameter 90: 249.7 → 95.91; diameter 75: 213.9 → 48.42 min). The use of p-value in optimization confirms the pasteurization level and ensures the safety of the product in the defined storage conditions. It is also possible to compare the levels of heat treatment for different products that are differently packaged.

Nutri-score is simplified front-of-pack nutrition labelling on packed food products, used in a broad international context to categorize food products into five colour/letter grades (best A to worst E) that reflect the foods’ nutritional quality. The labels serve as potential help for consumers to make healthier food choices and encourage food industries to improve the nutritional quality of the foods they produce. The aim of this study was to determine the nutritional scores and grades of meat products present on the Serbian retail market. Ultimately, this should point out to consumers the importance of proper nutrition and encourage the meat industry to adapt to new labelling requirements. During a two year period, 310 packaged locally-produced meat products were purchased at retail, graded according to the Nutri-score method and categorized into 13 ad hoc product groups. The results obtained showed that 82.5% of all examined meat products had nutritional scores that meant they were classified as unhealthy foods, while only 2.9% of meat products (these were fresh meat or minced meats) were classified as healthy foods. Of the total number of examined meat products, 41.5% were classified as grade E, 41% were classified as grade D, 13% received grade C, 1.6% received grade B, while only 2.9 % were classified as grade A. Sodium chloride was an especially burdensome parameter in 10 groups (77% of all products examined), while the presence of saturated fat was troublesome in 7 groups (54%) and high energy balance in 2 groups (15%). Serbian manufacturers are advised to implement new formulations and/or procedures in an effort to reduce these parameters in the meat products they produce., Nutritivni skor je pojednostavljeni sistem obeležavanja nutritivnog kvaliteta proizvoda od mesa, koji ih svrstava u pet kategorija sa odgovorajućom bojom i slovnom oznakom. Na ovaj način potrošači dobijaju dodatnu informaciju o nutritivnim svojstvima proizvoda od mesa koje kupuju, dok industrija dobija podsticaj da razvija kvalitetnije proizvode. Tokom dve godine ispitano je 310 uzoraka, od kojih je 82.5% klasifikovano kao ,,nezdravo” dok je samo 2.9% uzoraka koji su se odnosili na sveže i ustinjeno meso klasifikovani kao ,,zdravi”. Nutritivni skor proizvoda od mesa je pokazao da 41.5% proizvoda od mesa imaju ocenu E, 41% ocenu D, 13% ocenu C, 1.6% ocenu B, dok je svega 2.9% dobilo ocenu A. Posebno opterećujući nutritivni parametar za proizvode od mesa je visok procenat soli natrijuma (77%), zatim prisustvo zasićenih masti (54%) i visok energetski bilans (15%). Cilj ovog rada je da utvrđivanjem nutritivnog skora proizvoda od mesa potrošačima na domaćem tržištu ukaže na značaj adekvatnog izbora proizvoda od mesa sa aspekta nutritivnog kvaliteta, dok sa druge strane takve zahteve predoči industriji mesa.

Concentrations of toxic elements (lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic) were measured in water, sediment, and four commercial fish species (Cyprinus carpio, Hypophthalmichthys molitrix, Silurus glanis, and Esox lucius) and their tissues (muscle, liver, and kidney) from Saničani Lake, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The concentration of toxic elements was measured by atomic absorption spectrometry. Toxic element concentrations were significantly affected by the fish species and tissues sampled. The lead was the most heavily deposited element in lake sediments and waters. The highest concentrations of Pb and Cd were in the kidney in all four fish species. Concentrations of Hg and As were higher in the muscle than in the kidney and liver in all four fish species. The toxic element concentrations in all examined tissues were significantly higher in Silurus glanis and Esox lucius than in the other fish species examined. Concentrations of all tested elements were present in the fish muscle at different levels, but these levels were under the maximum levels allowed by the European Union and FAO/WHO. Accordingly, fish meat from this lake is acceptable for human consumption.

Broiler meat quality depends on the interaction of several factors, including genotype, slaughter age/body weight, pre-slaughter handling, and slaughter method. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of slaughter weight on meat yield and quality of broilers. The material consisted of 42 broilers, classified into three groups: lighter (3000 g). The following meat yield parameters were measured: cold carcass weight, breast weight before and after deboning, breast skin and bone weights, thigh weight before and after deboning, thigh skin and bone weights, drumstick weight before and after deboning, and drumstick skin and bone weights. Meat pH (M. pectoralis major) and instrumental colour (breast and drumstick) were measured 24 h post-mortem. Meat quality classes (pale, soft and exudative and normal meat) were determined based on breast muscle L* value. Heavier broilers had higher (P<0.05) cold carcass weight, breast, thigh and drumstick weights both before and after deboning compared to medium and lighter broilers. In contrast, meat quality traits were not significantly (P>0.05) affected by slaughter weight. In conclusion, production of heavy broilers had a beneficial effect on meat quantity, while the effect of slaughter weight on meat quality was negligible., Kvalitet mesa brojlera zavisi od interakcije velikog broja faktora, uključujući genotip, starost/telesnu masu, postupaka pre i posle klanja. Cilj ovog ispitivanja bio je da se ispita uticaj telesne mase na prinos i kvalitet mesa brojlera. Istraživanje je sprovedeno na 42 brojlera, grupisanih u tri grupe: brojleri telesne mase manje od 2500 g, brojleri telesne mase između 2500 i 3000 g i brojleri telesne mase veće od 3000 g. Ispitivani su sledeći pokazatelji prinosa mesa: masa hladnog trupa, masa grudi pre i posle otkoštavanja, masa kože i kostiju grudi, masa karabataka pre i posle otkoštavanja, masa kože i kostiju karabataka, masa bataka pre i posle otkoštavanja i masa kože i kostiju bataka. Od pokazatelja kvaliteta mesa određivani su pH vrednost grudne muskulature, instrumentalno (L*, a* i b*) boja grudne muskulature, karabataka i bataka 24 časa nakon klanja. Meso brojlera je razvrstavano u klase kvaliteta (bledo, meko, vodenasto – BMV i meso normalnog kvaliteta) na osnovu L* vrednosti instrumentalno određene boje u M. pectoralis major. Brojleri velike telesne mase imali su veću masu hladnog trupa, kao i veću masu grudi, karabataka i bataka u poređenju sa brojlerima iz druge dve grupe. Nije utvrđen uticaj telesne mase na pokazatelje kvaliteta mesa brojlera. Stoga se može zaključiti da se klanjem brojlera velike telesne mase dobija najveći prinos mesa što predstavlja dobru sirovinu za dalju preradu. Sa druge strane, utvrđen je zanemarljiv uticaj telesne mase na kvalitet mesa brojlera.

Abnormally hard breast fillet consistency began to emerge in commercial broiler chickens around 2010. Due to the remarkable muscle hardness, the condition acquired the vernacular name wooden breast myopathy. This myopathy starts to develop after two weeks of age at the earliest and typically proceeds into chronic myodegeneration in three to four weeks of age. The lesion begins focally and typically develops into a diffuse lesion that involves the entire major pectoral muscle. The restricted location of wooden breast lesion in the m. pectoralis major distinguishes it from several other myodegenerative diseases that widely affect the skeletal muscle system and often the cardiac and smooth muscle systems too. Although industry-wide incidence rates are difficult to assess, it has been estimated that approximately 5-10% of commercially produced breast fillets exhibit severe WB. Even at low incidence rates, the costs to industry are substantial, as breast fillets with the wooden breast condition are often downgraded and sold at a discount, used for further processing, or in extreme cases, discarded. Because the etiology of wooden breast is still unclear, in the future, study of the early lesions, pathogenesis and the possible reduction of animal welfare are likely to gain more attention.

This study aimed to determine the degree of change that unpacked pasteurized (i.e. cooked) sausages undergo during their shelf-life. For that purpose, unpacked domestic cooked sausages were examined for basic nutritional parameters, as are required to be stated on labels by local and EU legislation, at the beginning (day 1) and end of their shelf-life (day 40). Results showed the examined parameters varied significantly (the % variance range was 41.5-129.4%), which vastly exceeds the tolerance of variation limits allowed in the legislation (20-50%). The results obtained show the responsible authority would be unable to adequately control the nutrition declaration of these unpacked domestic cooked sausages. The inability to maintain the nutritional content according to the declaration of these unpacked meat products during their shelf-life is a great challenge for quality control of this type of meat product at retail.

Only healthy animals can expect good production results. Gastrointestinal tract (GIT) health is of particular importance in broilers. GIT health has been protected by antibiotics as growth promoters for years. Since their use is forbidden, alternatives are required. One alternative is the use of medium chain fatty acid (MCFA) in broiler nutrition, in order to ensure the health of digestive tract, that is, prevent the activity of pathogenic bacteria, coccidias and viruses. Today, commercial MCFA supplement is used on the market in nutrition of broilers and piglets. Previous experiences of using MCFA in nutrition of broilers suggest that MCFA can be used as a substitute for antibiotics. In the duodenum of experimental broilers (a group of birds fed with added MCFA), the numbers of Enterococcus spp. and E. coli were significantly correlated with bird weight, but this was not the case in other intestinal segments (ileum or caecum).

Changes of spoilage-related microbiota of pork and beef minced meat during 12 days at 3°C under vacuum (VP) and modified atmosphere (MAP) with initial headspace containing 20%O2/50%CO2/30%N2-MAP1 and 20%O2/30%CO2/50%N2-MAP2 were studied. Samples were analysed for total viable count (TVC), Enterobacteriaceae count and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) count. TVC and LAB count increased during storage, with significantly (P<0.01) higher TVC in VP (except 9th and 6th day for TVC and LAB count, respectively), while Enterobacteriaceae count decreased with significantly lower value (P<0.01 and P<0.05) in MAP1, compared to VP. MAP samples were more acceptable in terms of color and odor than VP.

Sterilization is a physical method of food preservation that, through high temperature over 100°C which destroys microorganisms and inactivates tissue enzymes. Safety and shelf-life of the canned liver pate (75 and 150 grams) is ensured with deter-mined Fo values ≥ 3. Commercial sterility was achieved, but treatment intensity was too high (Fo=12,07−15,93 and Fo=9,71−13,17) thus reduced the nutritional value of the food (Co=111−160 and Co=123−180). Based on the measurements, under defi ned heat treat-ment conditions (20’ heating time and 121.1° C autoclave medium under 2.5 bar pressure followed by 20−25’ cooling time) it is sug-gested that eff ective sterilization should be reduced by 5 and 10 minutes, respectively. This way the safety of the product would not be compromised, negative impact of heat on the nutritional value would be reduced, whereby production effi ciency would be increased and energy consumption would be reduced., Sterilizacija je fizički metod konzervisanja hrane, koji delovanjem temperature preko 100°C uništava mikroorganizme i inaktivira tkivne enzime. Bezbednost i održivost jetrene paštete u konzervi (pakovanja 75g i 150g) je osigurana utvrđivanjem Fo vrednosti, koja mora da bude iznad 3. Pri proveri režima sterilizacije utvrđen je tretman intenzivniji od potrebnog (Fo=12,07−15,93 and Fo=9,71−13,17) koji je osiguravao bezbednost proizvoda, ali je imao za posledicu smanjenje biološke vrednosti (Co=111−160 and Co=123−180). Na osnovu sprovedenih merenja i u skladu sa definisanim uslovima sterilizacije (20’ zagrevanja do dostizanja efektivne temperature sterilizacije od 121,1°C i pritiska autoklava 2,5 bar-a, efektivno vreme sterilizacije 35−50’ i vreme hlađenja 20−25’) predlaže se smanjenje efektivnog vremena sterilizacije za 5−10 minuta. Time bezbednost proizvoda nije ugrožena, dok se smanjuje negativni uticaj na biološku vrednost, pri čemu se povećava efikasnost proizvodnje uz smanjenje utroška energije

The effect of different modified atmosphere packaging regimes on the behavior of Salmonella spp. on minced meat was studied. Minced meat was experimentally contaminated with a Salmonella spp. cocktail (S. Enteritidis, S. Typhimurium, S. Infantis and S. Arizonae), packaged under vacuum or modified atmosphere with initial headspaces containing (20%O-2/50%CO2/30%N-2 and 20%O-2/30%CO2/50%N-2) and stored at 3 +/- 1 degrees C for 12 days. Samples were analyzed for Salmonella spp., viable and lactic acid bacteria count every third day. Salmonella spp. counts decreased during storage in all packaging types, with reductions of about 1.5 log CFU/g. A significant difference (p < 0.01) was noted between Salmonella spp. counts in meat packaged in vacuum and modified atmospheres, although there was no significant difference in Salmonella spp. count between meat packaged in 50%CO2, and meat packaged in 30%CO2. At the end of the study, there were significant differences (p <0.01; p <0.05) in total viable and lactic acid bacterial counts between meat packaged in vacuum and modified atmosphere, and the lowest counts were noted in meat packaged in modified atmosphere with 50%CO2.

Introduction. Heat treatment of food provides appropriate shelf life and safety, as well as adequate sensory properties and better digestibility, but excessive thermal processing leads to the loss of nutritive value. In practice, sterilised meat products are usually overheated, which leads to a loss of nutritive value. Therefore, it is necessary to find the optimum between the preservative effect of heat treatment and maintenance of the nutritive value of food. Control of the sterilisation efficiency is based on the Fo value, an indicator of the lethal effect of heat treatment, while the cooking (Co) value indicates a reduction of the nutritive value of heat treated products. Materials and Methods. During pâté sterilisation processes, two working heat treatment regimes were used: the regime used in regular, commercial production and an optimised regime. Heat treatment measurements were carried out using six thermocouple probes placed in the geothermal centres of six chosen cans. For each heat treatment, schematic diagrams were produced. Fo values were determined using Ellab software, and Co values by the graphic method in a semi-logarithmic Thermal Death Time diagram. Results and Conclusions. During pâté sterilisation, where the effective time was 55 minutes (regular regime) at 114 °C and 3.2 bar pressure, an average Fo value of 7.90±0.43 was achieved. By reducing the effective sterilisation time to 45 minutes (optimised regime), an average Fo value of 3.81±0.5 was achieved. Both regimes were sufficient to ensure product safety (Fo >3). The average Co value for the regular sterilisation regime was 109.83±1.33 minutes, while for the optimised regime, it was 88.67±4.27 minutes, i.e., an average reduction of 19.26%. This corresponds to a proportionally higher nutritional value of the product treated using the optimised regime. Data on the Fo and Co values achieved during the sterilisation process can make a significant contribution to obtaining products with a bette, Uvod. Toplotna obrda obzbeđuje održivost i bezbednost kao i adekvatna senzorna svojstva i bolju svarljivost hrane, ali suviše intenzivna topltona obrada dovodi do gubitka hranljive vrednosti. U redovnoj proizvodnji, sterilisani proizvodi od mesa se uobičajeno obrađuju suviše intenzivnim postupkom toplotne obrade, što dovodi do većeg dubitka hranljive vrednosti. Iz tog razloga, neophodno je da se pronađe optimum između konzervišućeg efekta toplotne obrade i očuvanja hranljive vrednosti hrane. Kontrola efkasnosti sterilizacije se bazira na određivanju Fo vrednsoti kao pokazatelja letalnog efekta toplotne obrade, dok Co vrednost (Cooking value) pokazuje smanjenje hranljive vrednosti toplotom obrađenih proizvoda. Materijal i metode. Za vreme sterilizacije paštete, primenjena su dva radna modela: postupak 'A' koji se koristi u redovnoj proizvodnji (uobičajeni režim) i postupak 'B' (optimizovani režim). Merenja su sprovedena pomoću 6 termopar sondi, koje su smeštene u geotermalnom centru 6 odabranih konzervi. Za svaki od toplotnih tretmana, iscrtani su dijagrami. Fo vrednost je određena Ellab softverom, a Co vrednost grafčkom metodom na polulogaritamskom TDT dijagramu. Rezultati i zaključak. Rezultati su pokazali da za vreme sterilizacije paštete, gde je efektivno vreme sterilizacije trajalo 55 min (uobičajeni režim), pri 114oC i pritisku od 3,2 bara, prosečna Fo vrednost iznosila 7,90 ± 0,43. Redukovanjem efektinog vremena sterilizacije na 45 minuta (optimizovani režim), postignuta je Fo vrednsot od 3,81 ± 0,5, pri čemu su oba režima bila dovoljna da osiguraju bezbednost proizvoda (Fo> 3). Co vrednost za uobičajeni režim sterilzacije je iznosila 109,83 ± 1,33 min, a za optimizovani režim 88.67 ± 4.27 min, pri čemu je ostvaren stepen redukcije od 19,26%, što odgovara proporcijonalno većoj hranljivoj vrednosti proizvoda tretiranog redukovanim režimom. Podaci o ostvarnim Fo i Co vrednostima za vreme postupka sterilizacije mogu da daju značajan doprinos u dobijanju proizvoda