Effect of freezing on the quality of chawarma prepared from poultry meat and proposition of a shelf-life

Chawarma is a traditional dish of Middle East countries. It is also called shawirma, döner kebab, donair, dona kebab and gyro. It is made with thin, whole cuts of red meat that are marinated before being stacked on a vertical skewer. The recent use of poultry meat (chicken, turkey) to make chawarma was an answer to dietary concerns because of lower fat and cholesterol contents of these meats, their easy digestion, along with their lower cost. However, poultry meat is richer in polyunsaturated fatty acids and is hence more sensitive to lipid oxidation reactions. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of negative temperature on the behaviour of the product during freezing and the proposition of a shelf-life of “frozen chawarma”. The product chawarma made of poultry meat show suitable capacity for an extended shelf life in deep frozen conditions, without any increase in temperature. By integrating scientific literature data and regulatory considerations, we propose a provisional minimal shelf-life of 7.5 months prior to the validation of a longer duration. It is emphasized that the quality of the final product depends on meat quality prior to freezing, the speed of freezing and the maintenance of negative temperatures during storage. These parameters need to be adequately controlled. 

Keywords: Chawarma, Shelf-life, Poultry, Quality, Freezing, Regulation