Thermal diffusivities and influence of cooking time on textural, microbiological and sensory characteristics of turkey meat prepared products

Cooking represents an important step in food processing for both sensorial and safety aspects. The aim of this study is to determine (i) the thermal diffusivity and (ii) the impact of cooking time on sensorial and microbiological characteristics of sausages (locally called salami) and ham products prepared from turkey meat. The water immersion method is used for cooking and cooling. Time–temperature profiles and thermal diffusivity values show that heat penetration in ham is slower than heat penetration in salami products. Three cooking times were applied to each material, and cooking time variation had a significant (p < 0.05) effect on the textural parameters of both salami and ham samples. Sensorial tests also showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between products cooked for different times, whereas all three gave acceptable hygienic parameters.