The influence of processing and product factors on the quality of microwave pre-cooked bacon

A selection of the main factors influencing the quality of microwave pre-cooked streaky and back bacon were investigated. Processing parameters were initially investigated using a domestic microwave oven. It was found that the power-output, heating time and position within the oven had a greater influence on the resulting product, in terms of weight loss, than the composition of the bacon. Positioning the bacon 43 mm above the turntable of the oven and heating streaky at 1000 W for 3 min and back at 500 W for 5 min achieved the best results. This resulted in a mean weight loss of 64.1% and 55.2% for streaky and back respectively. The temperatures reached during cooking (100–145 °C) were sufficient to pasteurise the bacon.Further trials were carried out using a pilot-scale industrial microwave-cooking tunnel. The optimum processing condition for both types of bacon was found to be 6 kW for 115 s. This condition provided more uniform heating and resulted in lower weight losses (51.9% streaky, 38.3% back) than were found in the domestic oven whilst producing bacon of similar organoleptic quality. Storage trials showed that bacon produced under this condition had a shelf life of between 11 and 14 days when stored in vacuum packs at 4 °C.