Low salt pig-meat products and novel formulations

Table of Contents

1. Introduction
   1. Objectives:
   2. Learning goals
   3. Teacher page
2. Section 1: Salt and Human Health
   1. Sodium and human physiology
   2. Trends in salt consumption
   3. Dietary salt as a health hazard
   4. Epidemiological studies
   5. High blood pressure
   6. Stroke
   7. Death from cardiovascular disease
   8. Osteoporosis
   9. Stomach cancer
   10. References
3. Section 2: Salt Content of Pig-meat Products
   1. Salt concentration in different pig-meat products
   2. Low-salt products in Europe
   3. Comparisons between various processed products
   4. References
4. Section 3: Science of salt in pig products
   1. From muscle to meat
   2. Effect of salt content on chemical and physical properties and implications for organoleptic properties
   3. Problems related to meat pH
   4. Effect of salt content on microbiological properties in processed meat products
   5. Consequences of reducing salt content
   6. References
5. Section 4 Low-salt Pig Meat Formulations
   1. General points to consider when manufacturing processed pork
   2. Balancing low salt with substitutes, enhancers and alternatives
   3. Effect of low sodium on eating quality, shelf-life and functional properties
   4. Optimum concentrations
   5. Cooked sausages
   6. Frankfurters
   7. Dry fermented sausage
   8. Ground patties
   9. Dry-cured ham
   10. Restructured meats (wet cured ham)
   11. Bacon
   12. Novel approaches in product formulation
   13. Other approaches
   14. Conclusions
   15. References
6. Discussion
7. Glossary
8. Completion
   1. Comments
   2. Self assessment
   3. Evaluation
9. Acknowledgment

Teacher page

Training employees in industry

• First ask the employees to find out the salt content of pig meat products in the local supermarket and make a list.
• Give them time to work on the content of the learning resource as indicated. This may take one to two weeks and ask them to post their thoughts on the comments page.
• In the final discussion ask the employees to consider the novel technologies and whether these might be implemented within their own sector of the industry.

Teaching students in higher education

• First ask the students to find out as much information as possible on the salt content of pig meat products in their locality using published work and visiting the local supermarket. Ask them to make a list.
• Ask students to visit a pig meat processing plant (if there are any in the local area) and observe and discuss how pig meat products are developed.
• Give them time to work on the content of the learning resource as indicated. This may take one to three weeks. Ask them to post their thoughts on the comments page.
• Ask them to work in groups and discuss health implications of salt and the potential value of the novel technologies for local application