Experimental manufacturing of kaddid, a salted dried meat product: controlof the microorganisms

Trials of kaddid making were carried out in the laboratory by the tradition al procedure. Batches of 6 kg each of sheep fresh meat were purchased direc tly from the slaughterhouse. The meats were sliced, salted, spiced and expo sed to the sun for drying. The batches were sampled at different times to f ollow up the microbiological and physico-chemical properties. Determination s included the standard plate count, total and fecal coliforms, enterococci , staphylococci, Salmonella and Clostridium for the former and moisture, wa ter activity, chlorides, total nitrogen, non protein nitrogen (NPN), total volatile nitrogen, fat content and the acid degree value (ADV) for the latt er. Results indicated a considerable decrease in the moisture. The NPN incr eased slightly but the TVN did not show any change. The most relevant chang e was that of the ADV of fat. The microbiological characteristics showed a sharp increase during the first phase before salting and then a rapid decre ase to low levels. Numbers were stabilized at less than 1 colony forming un it (cfu)/g for coliforms and enterococci and to around 100 cfu/g for staphy lococci after 15-17 days drying. The same decreasing pattern was also obser ved for lipolytics and proteolytics.