Progress 09/01/11 to 08/31/14
Outputs
Target Audience: Dry Cured Pork Industry, Meat Industry, Food Industry, Consumers, Environmental Protection Agency, Dry Cured Ham Consumers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Three PhD students have been trained over the last 12 months with respect to integrated pest management, meat quality, and entomology. One student presented this research at an International conference and received 1st place in the graduate student poster competition. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated through the publications listed in this report. In addition, a presentation was given to the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee of the United Nations to provide information on the American dry cured ham industry and research that is ongoing to find potential alternatives to control mite infestations in the U.S. dry cured pork Industry. We have also communicated with members of the EPA and USDA to help provide information about research findings for Critical Use Exemption applications and nominations. Peer reviewed manuscripts are in preparation. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Edible coatings have been applied for different purposes on a variety of food products including fresh fruits and vegetables, confections and meat products. For meat products, edible films and protective coatings have been used to prevent off-flavor due to oxidation, discoloration, quality loss such as shrinkage, and microbial contamination. Edible coatings may be used to control ham mite infestations if they do not negatively affect flavor and the aging process and are effective at controlling mites. Previous study on dipping ham slices/cubes directly into mineral oil, propylene glycol, 10% potassium sorbate, glycerin, and hot lard indicated that both lard and propylene glycol were effective at controlling mite reproduction under laboratory conditions. However, lard is not permeable to moisture and oxygen. In addition, no differences were detected in sensory characteristics between hams treated with food grade ingredients and non-treated control hams. Follow-up studies were carried out to study the effect of propylene glycol based coatings on mite mortality. In order to reduce the cost of the food grade coating by minimizing the amount of propylene glycol, polysaccharides were used to form uniform and consistent film coatings on the surface of ham cubes. All treatments with 50% PG were effective at controlling mite reproduction. To further investigate the minimum propylene glycol needed to control mite infestations, 10%-50% (w/w) propylene glycol were tested further with xanthan gum and carrageenan + propylene glycol alginate to due to their film-forming abilities at various concentrations of propylene glycol. Results demonstrated that xanthan gum+20% propylene glycol and carrageenan/propylene glycol alginate+10% propylene glycol were the lowest concentrations of propylene glycol that were effective at controlling mite reproduction on ham cubes. American dry cured ham products need to lose at least 18% of their original weight during the production process. Therefore, the water vapor permeability (WVP) of the film coatings must be considered when choosing a proper coating for dry cured hamFor films made from xanthan gum, the WVP range was from 1.17×10-7 gPa−1 h−1m−1 to 1.84 ×10-7 gPa−1 h−1m−1 as the amount of propylene glycol increased from 10% to 50% in the gel solution. For films made from carrageenan/propylene glycol alginate, the WVP range was from 2.08×10-7 gPa−1 h−1m−1 to 3.6 ×10-7 gPa−1 h−1m−1 as the amount of propylene glycol increased from 0% to 50% in the gel solution. For a 0.045mm thick film made from carrageenan/propylene glycol alginate+50% propylene glycol, about 24g of water vapor is able to penetrate through a one square meter area at room temperature per hour. Weight loss of whole hams coated with 100% propylene glycol, 50% propylene glycol, 2% carrageenan+50% propylene glycol, hot lard dip, and diatomaceous earth were studied after hams were treated for 48 days. Compared with control hams which lost 7.4% of its total weight, hams coated with 2% carrageenan+50% propylene glycol lost 6.4% of its total weight. In addition, both ham treatments lost greater than 18 % of moisture during the entire aging process. Results indicate that xanthan gum and carrageenan+ propylene glycol alginate can be effective at preventing mite infestations. Therefore current research, is being conducted on scaling up these coatings to both experimental (mite inoculated hams) and commercial treatment (natural conditions) of whole dry cured hams Laboratory studies confirmed that traps baited with food diet were very effective at detecting mites compared to unbaited traps. During 2012-2013 we monitored mite populations in three commercial ham curing/aging facilities using 20 traps distributed evenly throughout the buildings for consecutive one-week periods. Mite numbers in traps varied from zero to several hundred in each week. Consecutive weekly trapping suggested a seasonal variation in mite populations, and the spatial distribution of traps with or without mites demonstrated that certain areas of a given facility consistently had higher mite activity than other areas. Mite numbers in traps confirmed that fumigation in certain circumstances caused severe reduction in mite populations, and showed that mites would slowly increase in numbers and activity following fumigation. Recent work has focused on the sensitivity for mite detection with traps and the role of environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity, trap placement relative to structural features, proximity of traps from a source of mites and general trap design on trap efficacy. The standard trap was deployed in four retail facilities close to KSU, including a pet store, an organic grocery store, a large “big box” department store and a farm supply store in order to have a near-by study site. Mites were detected only at the farm supply store. Of twenty traps evenly spaced throughout the retail area, mites were consistently trapped only in one specific area. Traps were also deployed in three small rooms at our KSU laboratory in which we released an open colony of mites at one end of the floor and traps were arranged in three consecutive 1 m intervals away from the food source, either along one side wall or in the center of the floor. Results suggest that mites can be detected 3 m from a population source within minute to hours from the time of deployment and that room edges may be important for orientation of mites to traps.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Abbar, S. Zhao, Y., Phillips, T.W., Schilling, M.W. 2013. Chemical alternatives for suppressing the ham mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reduction, San Diego, CA, November 4th -6th, 36.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Amoah, B., Schilling, M.W., Phillips, T.W. 2013. Trapping the ham mite, tyrophagus putrescentiae, with a food bait: A monitoring tool for IPM. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reduction, San Diego, CA, November 4th -6th, 37.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Phillips, T.W., Schilling, M.W. 2013. Fumigation alternatives for the ham mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reduction, San Diego, CA, November 4th -6th, 38.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Zhao, Y., Phillips, T.W., Mikel, W.B., Campbell, Y., Akikins, M.J., Abbar, S., Amoah, B. Schilling, M.W. Update on Methyl Bromide Research. 2014 National Country Ham Association Meeting. March 28-29, Paducah, KY.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Accepted
Year Published:
2014
Citation:
Zhao, Y., Abbar, S., Phillips, T.W., Schilling, M.W. 2014. Development of Food Grade Coatings to Prevent Mite Infestations in Dry Cured Ham. International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reduction, Orlando, FL, November 4th-6th.
|
Progress 08/31/12 to 08/30/13
Outputs
Target Audience: Dry Cured Ham Industry, Meat Industry, Food Industry, Consumers, Environmental Protection Agency, Dry Cured Ham Consumers Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Three PhD students have been trained over the last 12 months with respect to integrated pest management, meat quality, and entomology. One student presented this research at an International conference and received 1st place in the graduate student poster competition. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? Results have been disseminated through the publications listed in this report. In addition, a presentation was given to the Methyl Bromide Technical Options Committee of the United Nations to provide information on the American dry cured ham industry and research that is ongoing to find potential alternatives to control mite infestations in the U.S. Industry. We have also communicated with members of the EPA and USDA to help provide information about research findings for Critical Use Exemption applications and nominations. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? 1. Continue to conduct integrated pest management studies. 2. Continue fumigation with phopshine and sulfuryl fluoride to determine the potential efficacy of using these fumigants to control ham mites. 3. Evaluate food grade coatings that we have developed for their efficacy at controlling mite infestations. Scale-up studies to evaluate the efficacy of these coatings in dry cured ham aging houses. 4. Conduct sensory and economical analyses of any technology that is effective at controlling mites to determine their practical applicability in the dry cured ham industry..
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Recent work has focused on the sensitivity for mite detection with these traps and the role of environmental factors such as temperature, relative humidity, trap placement relative to structural features, proximity of traps from a source of mites and general trap design on trap efficacy. The standard trap was deployed in four retail facilities close to KSU, including a pet store, an organic grocery store, a large “big box” department store and a farm supply store in order to have a near-by study site. Mites were detected only at the farm supply store. Of twenty traps evenly spaced throughout the retail area, mites were consistently trapped only in one specific area. Traps were also deployed in three small rooms at our KSU laboratory in which we released an open colony of mites at one end of the floor and traps were arranged in three consecutive 1 m intervals away from the food source, either along one side wall or in the center of the floor. Results suggest that mites can be detected 3 m from a population source within minute to hours from the time of deployment and that room edges may be important for orientation of mites to traps. Experiment are planned that will evaluate various commercial designs of stored product beetle traps that should also capture mites. Simple laboratory rooms and the farm store with a localized mite population will be used to correlate mite trap counts with a direct measures of mite density derived from defined floor samples of mites and dusted collected in a defined area. Monitoring data of T. putrescentiae populations using traps will be important information to aid in IPM decision-making. We participated in a commercial fumigation of a working ham production facility with phosphine gas in early 2013. Two rooms were selected for treatment and each had several hundred hams that had were in the late first or second year of aging. Magnesium phosphide was chosen as the application material because it produces twice as much hydrogen phosphide, PH3, and at a faster rate, than does aluminum phosphide. Each room was well sealed and access of gas was restricted to electrical and heating-air conditioning systems. Gas concentrations of 1500 ppm and 700 ppm were reached within 12 hours of initiation in each room, and these levels were maintained in each room for the duration of the 48 hr treatment. Another full day was required for de-gassing and clearance of the facility before workers were allowed back in. Ventilated mite colony jars placed in treated and untreated spaces during the PH3 application confirmed that ham mites would have been acceptably controlled. However, the processor had mite infestations with 1 month of treatment with phosphine when methyl bromide fumigation during the same time of year prevents infestations for 3 months. Unfortunately, corrosion to electrical wiring and equipment was discovered as unacceptably high about 21 days after the treatment. Work needs to be done to properly prepare ham production facilities for the corrosion potential of phosphine gas before application of this fumigant is recommended as a MB alternative for country hams. Laboratory experiments of registered and experimental pesticides utilized a bioassay in which 20 adult mites were released inside a ventilated glass vial that had been previously treated with 35 ul of a diluted test compound. Mites were allowed to walk on the treated surface for 24 hrs, after which they were moved to clean vials with food for 24 hrs and then assessed for mortality. Each experiment had a solvent-only control and up to 3 concentrations of the test compound (0.5 X, 1 X and 2 X the EPA label rate). Of eight active ingredients tested, we found that an experimental mixture of short-chain hydrocarbons and registered formulations of deltamethrin, chlorfenapyr and a mixture of deltamethrin with chlorpyrifos-methyl had very high mite mortality at the recommend label rates and at half the label rates. Results reported here with food-safe preservatives and with commercial pesticides currently registered by EPA for surface treatments in storage facilities show great promise for IPM of ham mite populations if methyl bromide is no longer available for this purpose in the future. Additional research was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of food grade ingredient coatings on mite control and sensory quality. Lard and propylene glycol were effective (P<0.05) at preventing mite reproduction. Sensory tests indicated that trained panelists couldn’t determine differences (P>0.05) between coated hams and control hams. Our laboratory is in the process of using propylene glycol and other food grafde ingredients to make edible films that could be placed on hams through dipping or spraying and potentially inhibit mite infestations.
Publications
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Zhao, Y. Phillips, T.W., Abbar, S., Amoah, B. Mikel, W.B., Schilling, M.W. 2012. Effects of various food-grade coatings on mite mortality and sensory quality of dry cured ham. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reduction, Orlando, FL, November 6th -8th, 77.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Zhao, Y. Phillips, T.W., Aikins, M.J., Mikel, W.B., Schilling, M.W. 2012. Sensory evaluation and pest mortality of dry cured ham fumigation with phosphine in a simulated aging house. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reduction, Orlando, FL, November 6th -8th, 78.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Abbar, S. Schilling, M.W., Phillips, T.W. 2012. Protecting hams from the mite Tyrophagus putrescentiae with food-safe approaches. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reduction, Orlando, FL, November 6th -8th, 44.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2012
Citation:
Amoah, B., Schilling, M.W., Phillips, T.W. 2012. IPM as an alternative for the ham mite, Tyrophagus putrescentiae: Monitoring with traps. Annual International Research Conference on Methyl Bromide Alternatives and Emission Reduction, Orlando, FL, November 6th -8th, 45.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2013
Citation:
Zhao, Y., Phillips, T.W., Abbar, S., Mikel, W.B., Schilling, M.W. 2013 Effects of phosphine fumigation and various food-grade coatings on the safety, flavor, and sensory quality of dry cured ham. Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting. Chicago, IL. (Accepted). Graduate Competition Finalist. 1st place presentation. 218-02.
|