RESIDUAL NITRITE AND TOTAL MICROBIAL PLATE COUNTS OF HAMS AS INFLUENCED BY TUMBLING AND FOUR INGOING NITRITE LEVELS

The effects of tumbling and ingoing nitrite levels on residual nitrite and on surface and subsurface total plate counts were evaluated in defatted, cured hams. Total microbial counts of tissue obtained during the tumbling process and following cooking were not affected by tumbling. Hams with each of the three nonzero levels of nitrite had counts, prior to cooking, which were consistently lower than those for hams with no added nitrite. Residual nitrite in hams tumbled intermittently for 18 hr was significantly lower than in non‐tumbled hams. Following cooking this difference in residual nitrite still existed, but was not significant.