D'Ambrosio Giovanni, Maggio Francesca, Serio Annalisa, Paparella Antonello
Department of Bioscience and Technology for Food, Agriculture and Environment, University of Teramo, Via Balzarini 1, 64100 Teramo, Italy.
Foods. 2025 Jun 30;14(13):2326. doi: 10.3390/foods14132326.
Steak tartare is a ready-to-eat (RTE) meat product, prepared with finely chopped or ground raw beef, with a rich culinary history and increasing consumption trend in the last years. Yet, its microbiological safety and technological challenges remain largely under-investigated. This review analyses the regulations, the safety, and technological advances in steak tartare manufacturing, focusing on microbiological risks due to potential contamination by pathogens like spp., , and O157:H7. From this perspective, the outbreaks associated with the consumption of raw meat products have confirmed the importance of good hygiene practice and process control, currently based on the presence of nitrite in the formulation and accurate cold chain management. Recently, the EU regulations have set stricter limits for the use of nitrites and nitrates in meat products, and this evolution has increased the interest in natural alternatives. The scientific literature indicates that plant-based antimicrobials, high-pressure processing (HPP), and novel starter cultures can be promising tools to improve raw meat safety and shelf life. This review analyses the possible options for nitrite replacement, which might involve combined interventions with natural antimicrobials, starter cultures, and packaging solutions. Future studies need to address the microbial behaviour and dynamics in nitrite-free formulations, including safety validation by challenge testing with foodborne pathogens. In this respect, steak tartare could be a model for innovation in the meat industry. However, considering the challenges that must be faced, collaboration across disciplines will be essential to meet regulatory constraints and consumer expectations while ensuring product quality and safety.
鞑靼牛排是一种即食（RTE）肉类产品，由切碎或绞碎的生牛肉制成，有着丰富的烹饪历史，且在过去几年消费呈增长趋势。然而，其微生物安全性和技术挑战在很大程度上仍未得到充分研究。本综述分析了鞑靼牛排生产中的法规、安全性和技术进展，重点关注因诸如 spp.、 和O157:H7等病原体潜在污染导致的微生物风险。从这个角度来看，与食用生肉产品相关的疫情已证实了良好卫生规范和过程控制的重要性，目前这基于配方中亚硝酸盐的存在以及精确的冷链管理。最近，欧盟法规对肉类产品中亚硝酸盐和硝酸盐的使用设定了更严格的限制，这一变化增加了对天然替代品的兴趣。科学文献表明，植物性抗菌剂、高压处理（HPP）和新型发酵剂 culture可以成为提高生肉安全性和保质期的有前景的工具。本综述分析了亚硝酸盐替代的可能选择，这可能涉及与天然抗菌剂、发酵剂 culture和包装解决方案的联合干预措施。未来的研究需要解决无亚硝酸盐配方中的微生物行为和动态，包括通过食源性病原体挑战试验进行安全性验证。在这方面，鞑靼牛排可能成为肉类行业创新的一个典范。然而，考虑到必须面对的挑战，跨学科合作对于在确保产品质量和安全的同时满足监管限制和消费者期望至关重要。
