Curing

Name:
Curing
Detailed information:
Conversion of a raw product to a finished and useful condition, usually by application of heat and/or chemicals that induce physicochemical changes. Many food products require aging under specified temperature conditions. The more common types of curing are as follows:(1) Meats: Use of sodium chloride, sugars, sodium nitrite, sodium nitrate, ascorbic acid. These not only act as preservatives, but also aid in color retention. Some types are subsequently smoked. Conversion of collagen to gelatin occurs as a result of “hanging” meat for several days.(2) Leather: Treatment of hides and skins with tanning agents of vegetable or mineral origin. This converts the protein structure into a firm and durable product as a result of complexing reactions.See Tanning.(3) Tobacco: Exposure for 3–5 days to temperatures from 37 to 65 C to reduce moisture content, convert starches to reducing sugars, and discharge the chlorophyll, followed by aging from 1 to 5 years to remove odors and improve smoking quality.(4) Cheese: Aging for 9–12 months at 4.5–10 C to develop sharp flavor; the process is also called ripening.(5) Rubber: Addition of sulfur and accelerator, followed by exposure to heat, which effects cross-linking. This converts the material from a thermoplastic to a thermosetting product. High-energy radiation can also be used.See Vulcanization.