Meat Ball Science: Dangerous Indonesian Food

Indonesian Meat Ball

According to SNI 01-3818-1995, meatballs are round food products, which is obtained from a mixture of beef cattle, the meat content not less than 50% and contain starch or cereals, with or without the addition of permitted food additives. The principle of making meatballs is divided into four stages:

1. Destructed meat using hand or tools
2. Adding other ingredients such as: flour, ice, spices and salt until form a dough
3. Molding the dough into a round shape
4. Cooking by boiling

Destruction aims to expand the surface of the meat muscle fibers breaking down the cell walls, so the salt-soluble proteins such as actin and myosin extracted out. This can be done by chopping, grinding, until smooth.

Making of the meatball dough by grinding meat together with ice, sago and spices, and preservatives into the chopper. Mixing of materials begins with inserting bits of meat and ice, then stirred for approximately one minute. After the new flour and other ingredients are mixed. Heat generated due to friction with the chopper wall materials derived by using ice cubes or cold water.

After the making of the dough and the "ball making" is done using equipment from simple to modern. The size from small such as marbles, and like a ping pong ball -size as a tennis ball.

Meatballs cooking is generally done by boiling. There are two phases that occur during the cooking process. The first phase at a temperature 40-50 C, myosin loses its solubility as indicated by the occurrence of protein denaturation. The second phase at a temperature of 65-75 C muscle fiber length shrinkage as much as 25-30 % and also formed a gel which i optimum at pH 6. At higher temperatures the mechanical connective tissue strength loss occurs through changes in collagen into gelatin.

Why Dangerous?

In addition to manipulating the conditions of storage, preservation of meatballs are done in Indonesia is by adding chemical preservatives. Chemical preservation is done by adding certain chemicals in foods to prevent the growth of microorganisms. Chemicals are typically used to preserve meatballs, among others:

Borax

Borax crystal containing boron elements. Colorless and easily soluble in water. Borax is the sodium salt which is widely used in a variety of non-food industries like paper, glass, wood preservatives and ceramics.

The borax preservative is most likely caused because of an active compound of boric acid. Boric acid is weak organic compound that is often used as an antiseptic. This material is not consumed or used into the wound, because cause toxic into the body.

Using borax in food has been banned in Indonesia since 1988. Consumers who consume food containing borax, has raised health disorders. Symptoms of poisoning caused by borax could be morning sickness, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, red spots on the skin and mocous membranes, palpitations, cyanosis, convulsions, fainting and coma.

Formaldehyde

Formalin is a trade name of formaldehyde in water solution with 36-40 % rate . Application of formaldehyde in food can cause poisoning symptoms in the human body with difficulty in swallowing, nausea , acute abdominal pain accompanied by vomiting, bloody diarrhea , depression onset nervous , and circulatory disorders .

Formaldehyde is a natural component in fish , seafood, honey , baked goods , fruits and vegetables that are fresh and preserved . Formaldehyde is also found in tobacco smoke and contaminating air at the shelter , public buildings and atmosphere.

The mechanism is not well understood, nature of carcinogenic formaldehyde as a whole. Although very understandable reaction with other macromolecules. Carcinogenic and mutagenic effects expected due to formaldehyde, because formaldehyde can damage DNA directly and is the consequence of the inhibition of DNA repair molecule. Formaldehyde is used in Indonesia have been banned since 1988 .

Sodium Benzoate

Sodium benzoate is the sodium salt of benzoic acid . Sodium benzoate is a white granular or crystalline powder , odorless and relatively inexpensive . Sodium benzoate is more effective to use on products with a pH below 4.5 . Toxicity of sodium benzoate in aqueous solution causes the antimicrobial properties due to the presence of acid molecules that do not dissociate benzoate.

Benzoic acid and sodium benzoate is a preservative first allowed in food by the Food and Drug Administration ( FDA ). Both are included in the GRAS ( Generally Recognized As Safe ) by the maximum limit of permitted use 0.1 %. In most states , the maximum limit the use of benzoic acid at concentrations ranging from 0:15 to 0.25 % .

In the body there is a benzoic acid detoxification mechanism so there is no buildup of benzoic acid . Benzoic acid will react with glycine into hippuric acid and disposed of by the body . This mechanism move 66-95 % of benzoic acid digestion . The remaining benzoic acid detoxified by conjugation with glucuronic acid .

Potassium Sorbate

Potassium sorbate as an active component of the antimicrobial compound is sorbic acid . Once dissolved in water , potassium sorbate will turn into sorbic acid . Microbial inhibition by sorbic acid is by extending the adaptation phase or lag phase of microbial growth , but the growth phase in sorbate have a smaller effect .

As acid -based preservatives , sorbic acid and potassium sorbate better used under pH 5-6 . The main reason the use of sorbic acid in meat products because of the need for replacement of sodium nitrite as inhibitors of Clostridium botulinum in cured meat products . Sorbate is more commonly used as a preservative in meat products of various countries such as Korea and Japan .

In the United States , sorbic included in the material that is generally recognized safe ( GRAS ) for sorbic acid is a fatty acid that can be metabolized by the body , the WHO set the Acceptable Daily Intake ( ADI ) for the sorbate is 25 mg / kg body weight / day . Toxicity tests have been carried out in the early days its use as a preservative . Overall the test shows that the sorbate is a food additive that is not dangerous and safest .