THE EFFEC T OF HUMIDITY ABSORBING FILTERS USED AS PACKING MATERIAL ON THE SHELF LIF E OF TURKEY MEAT

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of humidity absorbing filters used as packing material on the microbiological quality and shelf life of turkey meat. For this purpose, cubed turkey meat was divided into three equal groups and Group I was used as control. Before turkey meat was placed onto the styrofoam trays, paper towel as cellulose based material was put on the trays for Group II and humidity absorbing filter with diatomide for Group III and all styrofoam trays wrapped with polyethylene film. Analyses were performed on each group at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10th days of the cold storage at +4°C, for microbiological (Total mesophylic aerobic bacteria, coliforms, psycrophylic bacteria, Pseudomanas spp., yeast-mould) and physicochemical parameters (pH, aw , spoilage test). According to the results of the analyses, it was determined that samples of Group I was spoiled on the 4t h day, samples of Group II on the 6t h day and samples of Group III on the 8t h day of the cold storage. It was found that the use of humidity absorbing filter in packing material prolonged the shelf life of turkey meat to 4 days when compared with the control group.