Phosphine fumigation and residues in dry-cured ham in commercial applications

Dry-cured hams often become infested with ham mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae) during the aging process. Methyl bromide has been used to fumigate dry cured ham plants and is the only available fumigant that is effective at controlling ham mite infestations. However, methyl bromide will eventually be...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Meat science 2015-09, Vol.107, p.57-63
Main Authors: Zhao, Y., Abbar, S., Phillips, T.W., Schilling, M.W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Coleoptera - drug effects
Commerce
Desiccation
Dry-cured ham
Food Contamination - analysis
Food Handling
Food Preservation
Fumigation - methods
Humans
Hydrocarbons, Brominated
Insecticides - analysis
Insecticides - pharmacology
Meat - analysis
Mite mortality
Mites - drug effects
Phosphine fumigation
Phosphines - analysis
Phosphines - pharmacology
Residue
Sensory
Swine
Taste
Tyrophagus putrescentiae
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Summary:Dry-cured hams often become infested with ham mites (Tyrophagus putrescentiae) during the aging process. Methyl bromide has been used to fumigate dry cured ham plants and is the only available fumigant that is effective at controlling ham mite infestations. However, methyl bromide will eventually be phased out of all industries. This research was designed to determine the efficacy of phosphine fumigation at controlling ham mites and red-legged beetles and any impact of phosphine fumigation on the sensory quality and safety of dry cured hams. Fumigation trials were conducted in simulated ham aging houses and commercial ham aging houses. Mite postembryonic mortality was 99.8% in the simulated aging houses and >99.9% in commercial aging houses three weeks post fumigation. Sensory tests with trained panelists indicated that there were no detectable differences (P>0.05) between phosphine fumigated and control hams. In addition, residual phosphine concentration was below the legal limit of 0.01ppm in ham slices that were taken from phosphine fumigated hams. •A method was developed to analyze for residual phosphine in dry-cured ham.•Phosphine gas was not detected in hams 4days post-fumigation.•Phosphine gas had limited success at controlling ham mites under commercial conditions.•Phosphine gas was highly corrosive to copper electric components.
ISSN:0309-1740
1873-4138
DOI:10.1016/j.meatsci.2015.04.008