Redox potential of meat and meat products - 1. Physico-chemical basis, determination and evaluation of the redox potential

Water activity (a(w)) and pH value can be used for statements concerning the micro-biological stability and shelf life of meat products ("Predictive Microbiology"). The redox potential is important for the growth of micro-organisms and a criterion meaningful in connection with the predictive microbiology. The measuring of this physico-chemical parameter in meat products neverthless has been neglected. In the past years we have dealt with the role of the redox potential of meat and meat products. In the first contribution we describe the measuring methodology and the evaluation of E-h and E-h' values.