The selection and preservation of meat remain a topic for housewives. What should we pay attention to when selecting cooked foods? How can we choose safe cooked foods?
What are high-temperature and low-temperature meat products?
High-temperature meat products are packaged meat products that have been cooked at a high temperature of 121°C. The advantage is that due to the high-temperature cooking, the meat products inside the bag are thoroughly sterilized, so they have a longer shelf life at room temperature, generally 3 to 6 months or longer. The disadvantage is that they generally have a slight canned taste. Additionally, the high-temperature processing also reduces some of the nutritional content of the product.
Low-temperature meat products are generally unpackaged meat products with a short shelf period and Western-style ham products sold on the market, with a cooking temperature below 100°C. The advantages are that they are fresh, fragrant, soft and tender, and nutritious. The disadvantages are a short shelf life and a tendency to become contaminated and spoil if not stored properly.
How to distinguish the quality of cooked meat products?
Good braised meat products should have a complete, natural appearance, be clean, fresh, and glossy, and show the natural color they should have. For example, braised beef should be soy sauce yellow, char siu should have a red surface with a pinkish meat interior, and it should have the characteristic meaty aroma of the product, without any off-odors. For sausage products, the appearance should be intact, without damage, clean and free of dirt. The sausage body should be full, dry, and elastic, with a dense texture, and possess the proper aroma of the product, without any off-odors.
In terms of color, smoked meat products are generally brownish-yellow and have a smoky aroma. Red sausage is red in color from red yeast rice, and small mud sausage is milky white or beige. For packaged cooked meat products, check if the outer packaging is intact and undamaged. If it is vacuum-packed, check if the vacuum seal is intact. Products with swollen bags should not be eaten.
Also, check the product's expiration date; you can purchase it if it is within the expiration period. For stuffed products with nylon or PVDC casings, such as Western-style hams and sausages sold on the market, in addition to checking the ingredients and date on the label, if you find that the product is gassy or the casing is separated from the meat, it is also considered spoiled and should not be chosen.
How to identify if cooked food has spoiled
First, look: Determine if it has spoiled by its color. If the color of the food is different from usual, it may have spoiled.
Second, smell: Spoiled food will have a very unpleasant odor. If the food emits a foul smell, it is recommended that you do not eat it.
Third, taste: When you can't tell by looking or smelling, you can take a small taste. If the texture is different from usual, with a sour or rotten taste, do not continue to eat it.