Mar 9 2016
New methods have been developed by an entomologist from Kansas University to secure dry-cured hams from mites, and also to satisfy the global requirements for protecting the ozone layer.
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Tom Phillips, professor in the university's entomology department, was a member of the research team consisting of food scientists from the Mississippi State University, which succeeded in employing the food-safe compound, propylene glycol, for protection against ham bites.
Their research, "Developing food-grade coatings for dry-cured hams to protect against ham mite infestation," was published in the March 1 issue of the Journal of Meat Science, the official periodical of the American Meat Science Association.
For several years methyl bromide, a food-safe fumigant, was used to control ham mites. However in 1989 the compound was included as a substance in the Montreal Protocol, the international treaty for eradication of production and use of substances that cause ozone depletion.
Methyl bromide has been important as a fumigant for controlling pests of different kinds. Seventy to 80 percent of all bromide use was for sterilizing soil in very high-value places like California and Florida, where they grow strawberries and fresh vegetables.
Tom Phillips, Professor, Entomology Department, Kansas University
Phillips and his teammates created food-grade coatings using propylene glycol, a commonly used food preservative. The new coatings were applied to hams before the aging process started. Whole dry-cured hams, also referred to as country hams, are designated as specialty products. It takes three months to two years for the hams to be fully cured. They are different from the wet-cure hams, which are chilled items that people buy from grocers.
Mites lay three to five eggs per day. The scientists realized that the mites avoided the hams coated with propylene glycol, which is significant for a ham undergoing curing for several months.
According to Phillips researchers are trying to find alternatives to methyl bromide, and are looking for management techniques to maintain safety of food items.
The other things we are working on are common sense, sometimes used for centuries, such as extreme temperatures — heat or cold. We have these methods that are safe for food. I always say that necessity is the mother of adoption; when they are needed, industry will adopt these methods and we are here to help them.
Tom Phillips, Professor, Entomology Department, Kansas University
The research received funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Methyl Bromide Transition Program.