Calidad de sándwiches elaborados en la Unidad Básica de Gastronomía Habana de CubaCatering S.A. J. Food Sci. Gastron . (January - June 2024) 2 (1): 14-19https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13996218ISSN: 3073-1283 ORIGINAL ARTICLE Quality of sandwiches prepared at the Havana Gastronomy Basic Unit of CubaCatering S.A. Rosa C. Hunt rhunt@ifal.uh.cu1 Instituto de Farmacia y Alimentos, Universidad de La Habana, Cuba.2 Unidad Básica de Gastronomía Habana, Cubacatering S.A., La Habana, Cuba.Received: 2 September 2023 / Accepted: 14 December 2023 / Published online: 26 January 2024© The Author(s) 2024 Rosa C. Hunt 1 · Miriam Rodríguez 2 Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the changes in the ham and cheese sandwich and the assorted sandwich during refrigerated storage. The work was con-ducted at the Havana Gastronomy Basic Unit of CubaCa-tering S.A., with determinations made in the laboratories of the Pharmacy and Food Institute, analyzing data from raw materials and fnished products from 2006 to 2008. Two experimental batches were carried out, randomly taking 9 units of each product, which were stored between 4 and 6 ºC for subsequent analysis. Physical-chemical analyses (pH and moisture), microbiological analyses (count of aerobic mesophilic microorganisms, total and fecal coliforms, fun - gi, and yeasts), and sensory evaluations were performed on both products. The results showed minimal variations in pH and moisture values at 48 hours, although the total coliform counts were elevated, especially in Gouda cheese, with no fecal coliforms detected. A descriptive sheet for the sand -wiches was created, which will facilitate future sensory eval-uations. The ham and cheese sandwich showed greater varia- tions in sensory quality, with defects in appearance being the most signifcant in the results. Keywords ham and cheese sandwich, physical-chemical analysis, microbiological analysis, food hygiene, sensory quality. Resumen El objetivo de este trabajo fue evaluar los cam-bios en el sándwich de jamón y queso y el sándwich surti-do durante el almacenamiento refrigerado. Se realizó en la UEB Gastronomía Habana de Cubacatering S.A., con deter-minaciones en los laboratorios del Instituto de Farmacia y Alimentos, analizando datos de materias primas y productos terminados desde 2006 hasta 2008. Se llevaron a cabo dos lotes experimentales, tomando aleatoriamente 9 unidades de cada producto, las cuales se almacenaron entre 4 y 6 ºC para análisis posteriores. Se realizaron análisis físico-químicos (pH y humedad), microbiológicos (conteo de microorganis - mos mesóflos aerobios, coliformes totales y fecales, hongos y levaduras) y sensoriales en ambos productos. Los resulta - dos mostraron variaciones mínimas en los valores de pH y humedad a las 48 horas, aunque los conteos de coliformes to - tales fueron elevados, especialmente en el queso Gouda, sin encontrar coliformes fecales. Se elaboró una fcha descrip -tiva de los sándwiches, que facilitará futuras evaluaciones sensoriales. El sándwich de jamón y queso presentó mayores variaciones en calidad sensorial, con defectos en la aparien - cia siendo los más signifcativos en los resultados. Palabras clave sándwich de jamón y queso, análisis físi-co-químico, análisis microbiológico, higiene alimentaria, calidad sensorial. How to cite Hunt, R.C., & Rodríguez, M. (2024). Quality of sandwiches prepared at the Havana Gastronomy Basic Unit of CubaCatering S.A. Journal of Food Science and Gastronomy , 2 (1), 14-19. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.13996218
J. Food Sci. Gastron . (January - June 2024) 2 (1): 14-19 15 Introduction Postmodern life has generated, among many other socio- economic consequences, profound changes in eating habits. This situation, combined with limited available time, has led to an increase in the consumption of ready-made fast foods that do not require utensils, such as sandwiches. These prod -ucts, which can contain ingredients like cooked ham, cheese, and mayonnaise, have been associated with foodborne ill- nesses (FBIs), especially in large cities (Alkerwi et al., 2015).Fresh and ready-to-eat sandwiches are typically packaged in expanded polystyrene trays covered with polyvinyl chlo - ride flms, which provide them with a shelf life of only 72 hours under refrigeration, limiting their distribution. The monitoring and control of food safety must encompass all stages of manufacturing, storage, and distribution, as each stage can be a source of contamination (Fung et al., 2018).The safety of the product depends on factors such as its pH, aw, and microbiological quality, but its success lies in the synergistic combination of all protective barriers (Car - rascosa et al., 2021), with strict refrigeration control being a crucial barrier against microbial growth. Moreover, the hy-giene of raw materials and initial microbiological control are essential (Tropea, 2022).The preparation of sandwiches involves constant handling, which, if not performed under hygienic conditions, can in - crease the microbial load and reduce product quality, afect - ing its sensory, nutritional, biological properties, and shelf life (Risk Assessment Studies Report No. 68, 2022).Handlers must maintain strict personal hygiene, wear ap - propriate protective clothing, and be aware of their responsi - bility to ensure maximum asepsis at all times (Pakdel et al., 2023). During storage, foods are subject to spoilage reactions caused by internal factors, such as moisture, pH, acidity, and external factors, including relative humidity, temperature, oxygen, and light (Karanth et al., 2023). The objective was to evaluate the changes in ham and cheese sandwiches and assorted sandwiches, during refrigerated storage. Materials and methods The study was conducted in the cold area of the Havana Gastronomy Basic Unit of CubaCatering S.A., on the pro -duction line of ham and cheese sandwiches and assorted sandwiches. The determinations were carried out in the lab-oratories of the Institute of Pharmacy and Food, where the results obtained between 2006 and 2008 on raw materials and fnished products were analyzed, based on archived doc - uments from the Quality Control Department. The prepara - tion of the sandwiches consisted of adding the flling to the bread, which was then shrink-wrapped and packaged using a Form/Fill/Seal machine. The products were individually wrapped with Vitaflm, identifed with a label indicating the production date, and packaged in nylon bags. At the end of production, the quality, weight, and quantity of units were verifed, along with the yield of raw materials, and the clean - ing and disinfection of the work area were performed.Two experimental batches were produced on diferent dates, from which nine samples of each product were tak - en and stored between 4 and 6 °C. Five samples underwent sensory analysis, two underwent physicochemical analysis, and two were used for microbiological analysis. The raw material samples (ham, cheese, chorizo) were subjected to microbiological analysis. Physicochemical analyses of the bread, ham, cheese, and chorizo were carried out at 0 and 48 hours, while microbiological analyses of the raw materials were performed at 24 hours and for the fnished product at 48 hours. Sensory analysis of the fnished product was con - ducted 48 hours after a familiarization session.To evaluate the physicochemical variables, the products were analyzed in duplicate. The pH of the inner mass of the sandwiches was measured in a 1:1 dilution (ISO 2917, 1999) using a Basic 20 pH meter, and the moisture content of each component was evaluated following the O’Keefe (2005). Each portion was homogenized separately, and microbiolog - ical analysis was performed to detect contamination by total coliforms, fecal coliforms, fungi, yeasts, and mesophilic mi - croorganisms, ensuring that the homogenization equipment was disinfected between samples.To develop the quantitative descriptive profle, sensory descriptors were frst generated by fve trained evaluators through controlled association (Damasio & Costell, 1991), and the terms were later refned through open discussion (ISO 11035, 1994). The descriptors were evaluated on an unstructured 10 cm scale using a balanced block design. The data were analyzed using the Statistica (1998) and Microsoft Excel programs. Results and discussion The production line for ham and cheese sandwiches and assorted sandwiches was selected as it represented 39% of the total monthly services in the cold area of the UEB Gastronomía Habana Production Center. Additionally, these products had a high likelihood of microbial spoilage due to the absence of a post-handling cooking stage, which could eliminate or reduce potential contamination, especially during the slicing and assembling of the product.The sandwiches were prepared following established procedures and the corresponding technological fow. The preparation was carried out manually in an isolated, air-con - ditioned room, where operators were properly dressed in compliance with good manufacturing practices. The com -
J. Food Sci. Gastron . (January - June 2024) 2 (1): 14-19 16 ponents were individually weighed for each sandwich and placed in the established order (ham, cheese, and chorizo).The control of pH is very important in food production, both for controlling transformation processes and as an in - dicator of hygienic conditions, since a change in pH can serve as a warning of undesirable changes in the product. Factors such as temperature, pH, and moisture were crucial for food preservation. The behavior of pH during the storage of the ham and cheese sandwich and the assorted sandwich is shown in Table 1. Table 1. Variation of pH values of the internal mass of the studied products (n= 2) Time (h)Ham and cheese sandwichAssorted sandwichBatch 1Batch 2Batch 1Batch 2 05.7 (0.2)5.85 (0.04)5.7 (0.1)6.02 (0.03)485.9 (0.1)5.8 (0.2)6.1 (0.3)5.8 (0.1) Mean value (standard deviation). The internal mass of the ham and cheese sandwich, con- sisting of cooked ham and Gouda cheese in a ratio of 80:60 g, plus 5 g of dressing, presented mean pH values ranging from 5.7 to 5.9 in the batches studied. These results, consis - tent with those reported by Chang et al. (2002), refected the contribution of each raw material. Variations in pH values after 48 hours were minimal, and no signifcant diferences ( p ≤0.05) were observed between batches.It was considered unlikely that the pH of the cheese would decrease during storage, as it remained stable under refrig- eration. Although the dressing could have lowered the pH, no signifcant deterioration in the product’s shelf life was detected. The ham also showed short-term stability in re- frigeration, although its spoilage could have been caused by acidifcation due to the development of lactic acid-produc -ing microorganisms. It should be noted that the analysis was limited to a 48-hour period, which reduced the possibility of signifcant changes.The pH results for the mixed sandwich showed a similar pattern but difered from the ham and cheese sandwich due to the addition of chorizo. The pH values for generic prod - ucts varied considerably; for example, cooked ham present - ed a pH range of 5.57 to 6.43 (Videla & Díaz, 2017). In the case of Gouda cheese, values ranged between 5.28 and 5.32 (Méndez & Ramírez, 2020), supporting the values obtained for the ham and cheese sandwich. In the mixed sandwich, the Table 2. Moisture values of ham and cheese sandwich and mixed sandwich (n=2) SandwichRaw materialTime (h)Batch 1Batch 2 Ham and cheese sandwich Top bread031.8 (0.6) ab38.3 (3.6) a4827.6 (5.0) ab21.0 (6.8) b Bottom bread 032.3 (1.2) ab38.8 (1.5) a4834.2 (7.5) ab26.6 (2.9) b Cooked ham 062.6 (3.3) a68.4 (1.0) a4853.6 (1.6) b53.7 (3.2) b Gouda cheese 039.8 (1.5) a40.6 (2.1) a4839.7 (1.1) a41.4 (0.2) a Assorted sandwich Top bread031.8 (0.6) ab38.3 (3.6) a4826.5 (2.5) b36.4 (5.8) ab Bottom bread 032.3 (1.2) ab38.8 (1.5) a4830.0 (4.5) b28.7 (0.9) b Cooked ham 062.6 (3.3) ab68.4 (1.0) a4854.2 (5.5) b57.7 (2.1) b Gouda cheese 039.8 (1.5) a40.6 (2.1) a4842.9 (2.1) a43.5 (1.2) a Montero chorizo 062.6 (1.7) a59.7 (1.2) a4855.3 (8.6) a55.4 (1.7) a Mean value (standard deviation). Diferent letters for the same raw material indicate signifcant diferences at p ≤0.05.
J. Food Sci. Gastron . (January - June 2024) 2 (1): 14-19 17 pH was higher due to the infuence of the chorizo, whose val - ues vary widely depending on its composition, with reported ranges from 4.55 to 6.0 (Salgado et al., 2006).Table 2 shows a tendency for moisture exchange between the components of both products. Although the meat prod - ucts and cheese presented higher water activity (aw) than the bread, the latter did not increase its moisture content. This could be explained by the fact that the bread, being the out - ermost component, lost moisture to the environment since it was wrapped in a PVC flm, which, although durable, was not impermeable. Although Cuban regulations on microbiological contami- nants (NC 38-02-07, 1987) have not yet established specifc criteria for sandwiches or ready-to-eat foods, such as fast food, there were standards for raw materials that could serve as quality indicators (NC 78-24, 1984; NC 38-04-05, 1988). Table 3 shows the microbiological behavior of the ham and cheese sandwich and the mixed sandwich.The ham and cheese sandwich from the second batch showed excessively high values of total coliforms, as well as fungi and yeast. The high levels of total coliforms indi-cated handling issues during slicing and assembly, while the elevated fungi and yeast levels likely pointed to problems associated with the bread.The mixed sandwich also showed elevated levels of total coliforms, and one of the samples registered high counts of aerobic mesophiles. This fnding led to an analysis of the raw materials, with results indicating that the main issues were related to the Gouda cheese and its handling, though no case exceeded the established limits. No fungi or yeast were detected in the analyzed raw materials. The occurrence of molds has been considered a common and recurring prob - lem during the ripening and refrigerated storage of cheeses, usually associated with improper manufacturing or storage practices (Kandasamy et al., 2020). Table 3. Microbiological evaluation results (CFU/g) for ham and cheese sandwich and mixed sandwich DishMesophilic aerobesTotal coliformsFungi and yeasts48 h48 h48 h Ham and cheese sandwich 9.2x10 2 ≤1x10 2 9.2x10 3 1x10 3 ≤1x10 2 5.2x10 3 1.32x10 3 2.16x10 3 1.64x10 3 1.16x10 3 1.72x10 3 1.16x10 3 Assorted sandwich < 302.24x10 4 ≤1x101.26x10 5 1.64x10 4 ≤1x10< 302.84x10 3 ≤1x10< 301.84x10 4 ≤1x10 Coliform microorganisms are good indicators of the hy-gienic quality of food. A high number of these microorgan-isms can indicate fecal contamination, as many of them orig- inate from the intestines, suggesting the possible presence of disease-causing agents (Martin et al., 2016). However, it is important to note that confrmatory tests for fecal coliforms were negative, indicating that although corrective actions are necessary, there is no evidence of serious hygiene violations, such as failure to wash hands after using the restroom. No positive results for fecal coliforms were found in any case. The results supported the need to improve hygiene and sanitation conditions during the production of these prod - ucts, as well as to strengthen hygiene and disinfection pro - tocols. From this perspective, it is important to note that the company worked on verifying the HACCP system, paying special attention to compliance with prerequisites. The ab - sence of an adequate prerequisite program will hinder the efective implementation of a HACCP Plan (Jubayer et al., 2022), which will require more time and resources, and in - crease the risk that low-risk potential hazards may become serious threats to food safety. This program should gener - ate records that support compliance during audits, providing the necessary environmental, infrastructure, and operation - al conditions for the production of safe food; additionally, like the HACCP Plan, it requires the full commitment of top management. The sensory evaluation analysis of the products revealed that they were rated as “good” at time zero. As shown in Fig- ure 1, signifcant diferences were observed between the two productions, especially in internal appearance, smell, and taste. Regarding internal appearance, the changes observed in both productions were mainly attributed to defects in slic -ing and an uneven distribution of raw materials in the sand-wich, as noted by the judges. Although the slicing was done mechanically, it was not uniform, and occasionally manual trimmings were added to meet the required weight. In terms of smell and taste, the changes could be due to a lack of sta- bility in the quality of the raw materials provided by suppli - ers or the loss of freshness during the 48-hour storage period.
J. Food Sci. Gastron . (January - June 2024) 2 (1): 14-19 18 Figure 1. Quantitative descriptive profle of the ham and cheese sandwich. As shown in Figure 2, the main diference between both productions lies in the internal appearance of the product (7.0 and 9.0, respectively), due to similar reasons observed in the ham and cheese sandwich. The defects identifed by the judges when evaluating the external appearance and texture were attributed to the quality of the raw materials. However, the defects observed in the internal appearance were related to inadequate sandwich preparation, not to their storage. In contrast, the defects detected in odor and taste were related to the raw materials and the fnished product storage. Figure 2. Quantitative descriptive profle of the assorted sandwich. Conclusions The variations in pH values and moisture in both products 48 hours after their preparation were minimal. In both cases, the total coliform counts were high, with the most signifcant hygienic-sanitary issues associated with the Gouda cheese and its handling, although no fecal coliforms were found. A descriptive sheet for the ham and cheese sandwiches and the assorted sandwiches was developed, which will allow for higher-quality sensory evaluations. The ham and cheese sandwich exhibited greater variations in sensory quality among the batches, with defects in appearance being the most impactful on the results. References Alkerwi, A., Crichton, G.E., & Hébert, J.R. (2015). Con - sumption of ready-made meals and increased risk of obesity: fndings from the Observation of Cardiovas - cular Risk Factors in Luxembourg (ORISCAV-LUX) study. British Journal of Nutrition , 113 (2), 270-277. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0007114514003468O’Keefe, M. (2005). Food and nutritional analysis. In: Meat and Meat Products. Encyclopedia of Analytical Sci - ence, 302-312. https://doi.org/10.1016/b0-12-369397-7/00185-0Carrascosa, C., Raheem, D., Ramos, F., Saraiva, A., & Rapo - so, A. (2021). Microbial bioflms in the food industry-a comprehensive review. International Journal of Envi-ronmental Research and Public Health , 18 (4), 2014. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18042014Chang, L.M., Bolumen, S., Rodríguez, J.L., Falcó, S., Yañéz, Y., Duquesne, F., Chang, L., & Hernández, U. (2002). Aplicación del envasado en atmósfera modifcada para la extensión de la durabilidad de bocaditos de jamón y queso. Alimentaria , 330 , 71-75.Damasio, M.H., & Costell, E. (1991). Análisis sensorial descriptivo: generación de descriptores y selección de catadores. Revista de Agroquímica y Tecnología de los Alimentos , 31 (2), 165-178.Fung, F., Wang, H.S., & Menon, S. (2018). Food safety in the 21st century. Biomedical Journal , 41 (2), 88-95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bj.2018.03.003ISO 11035. (1994). Sensory analisis . ISO 2917. (1999). Meat and meat products-Measurement of pH-Reference method . Jubayer, F., Hossain, S., Al-Emran, & Uddin, N. (2022). Im - plementation of HACCP Management System in a cake manufacturing company in Dhaka, Bangladesh: A Case Study. Journal of Food Quality , 321333, 12 pp. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/5321333
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