The Crucial Role of Moisture Control in Meat Curing

June 10, 2024

The production of meat is a huge industry, with higher demands than almost any other in the food and drink sector. These demands aren’t just for quantity either, the meat they process needs to be safe, well-stored, and high quality if a company wants to stay ahead of their competitors.

One of the most important parts of the production line is meat curing. To get the best results, moisture control is essential, which is why an industrial dehumidifier is so important.

What is Meat Curing?

‘Curing’ meat involves treating it to remove moisture without ruining flavour. This is usually done with sugar, salt, and/or nitrates depending on how the meat is processed. The three ways to cure meat are:

• Drying
• Smoking
• Fermentation

If meat isn’t cured, or is cured in humid conditions, bacteria will grow. At best this can ruin the taste of the meat, at worst is can cause severe food poisoning.

This means that the meat can be stored for longer and will be as fresh as possible when it reaches the shelves of a supermarket. It’s most important for meats such as salami and has been one of the most important developments in the food processing world.

How does Moisture affect Meat Curing?

To cure meat effectively, the amount of moisture in the meat and in the air around it needs to be controlled.

As we mentioned, the moisture within meat can be changed using the right ingredients. Controlling the moisture in the air is a different story.

It doesn’t matter how much sugar or salt you apply to meat if the air is humid. Bacteria will still grow, and the meat won’t pass the vigorous safety checks required for meat processing.

How to Control Moisture in Meat Curing?

The key to controlling the moisture levels around meat is to control the humidity. Our dehumidifiers are the perfect tools for the job; once you see the quality products that they’ll help to produce, you’ll never want to operate without them.

Even in a high-tech processing plant, the outside temperature will vary depending on the weather and time of year. This affects the levels of humidity. With our systems you can adapt to any temperature at the push of a button, making it easy to make an adjustment even when the production line is in full flow.

You’ll know when to make these adjustments too. With advanced monitoring and detailed readouts, you’ll know the exact conditions within the system, will be able to make changes whenever they’re needed.

This is especially important when drying meat. If the temperature is too high, the meat will dry too quickly (known as ‘rapid drying’), causing the flavour to be inconsistent.

With a steady, controlled drying process, the curing agents will penetrate evenly, making the flavour better than ever.

Minimising Spoilage Risks in Meat Curing

Bacteria thrive in moist environments, so if the air around meat is too humid, it becomes a breeding ground for harmful microorganisms, causing the meat to spoil.

Our industrial dehumidifiers keep the air dry and crisp, without affecting flavour. Bacteria is unable to grow, ensuring the safety and longevity of the cured meats.

It isn’t just bacteria either. A quality dehumidifier discourages the growth of mould and other pathogens, meaning it’s easier to keep your production line clean and safe.

If your business involves drying and curing meat, you’re well aware of how important food safety is. When a safety inspector sees that you’re using one of our systems, they’ll know instantly that you’re doing things properly.

We don’t just drop the machine(s) at your doorstop and leave you to it either. We guide you through the installation process and provide extensive guidance when explaining how everything works. This means minimal downtime for you and your team.

Why Choose Dehum for Industrial Dehumidifiers?

Meat curing is a vital industry and involves processes that need to be perfect. By using the best dehumidifiers, you can guarantee quality and better production rates. This in turn means you’ll grow faster and can overtake your biggest competitors.

We’ve worked within the food production for over two decades now, providing quality equipment that ensures quality processing, storage, and flavour. We’ve seen firsthand how your industry has changed and have adapted to suit it.

We have been behind some truly exciting and innovative new technologies, which have virtually eliminated many of the issues that uncontrolled humidity can cause.

If you need help with your food or beverage manufacturing process or have any questions about us and what we do, please visit our website www.dehum.com or call 01926 882624.

We look forward to hearing from you.