DEVELOPMENT OF A RISK-BASED APPROACH TO MEAT PRODUCT SAFETY
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58407/bht.1.26.15Keywords:
risk-oriented approach, meat product safety, safe-by-design, water activity, structural design of food productsAbstract
Purpose of the work. The aim of this study is to summarise and systematically analyse contemporary risk-oriented approaches to ensuring the safety of meat products intended for children and sensitive population groups, as well as to substantiate the feasibility of using product shape and internal structure as engineering tools for reducing technological risks in the production of dried meat products.
Methodology. The methodology of the study is based on a review and analytical approach employing structural-logical, comparative and critical analysis of current scientific publications and regulatory documents: Codex Alimentarius, ISO 22000, norms of EFSA etc. related to food safety management. The analysis is conducted from a risk-oriented perspective, taking into account the multi-barrier concept, the role of water activity, dehydration kinetics, and the influence of product geometry and internal structure on the formation of microbiological stability in meat products.
Scientific novelty. Scientific novelty lies in the development of a generalised conceptual model in which the shape and internal structure of dried meat products are considered as active engineering factors for risk management. An interpretation of safe-by-design principles in food technologies is proposed as an applied mechanism of “built-in safety”, enabling the reduction of technological risks through product and process design rather than exclusively through formulation- or ingredient-based solutions.
Conclusions. The conclusions indicate that, for meat products intended for children and sensitive population groups, a risk-oriented approach should be combined with engineering control of product shape and internal structure. Such an approach contributes to reducing the duration of product exposure to potentially hazardous conditions, levelling water activity profiles, and decreasing dependence on preservative additives without compromising safety and quality.
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