Effects of salt and ammonium hydroxide on the quality of ground buffalo meat.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ammonium hydroxide (AH) and sodium chloride on the quality of ground buffalo meat patties. Ground buffalo meat was treated with distilled water (control), 0.5% v/w AH, 1.0% v/w AH, 2.0% v/w AH and 1.0% w/w sodium chloride was added for all the samples. Treatment with AH increased (P<0.05) the pH and water holding capacity (WHC) of ground buffalo meat patties during storage relative to their controls. Hunterlab a* (redness) and chroma values increased (P<0.05) and hue decreased (P<0.05) in all AH treated samples in comparison to controls during storage. Ammonium hydroxide significantly (P<0.05) inhibited metmyoglobin formation compared to control after 3rd day of storage. There was a significant (P<0.05) reduction in thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values in all AH treated samples compared to control throughout storage. These results indicate the potential antioxidant and myoglobin redox stabilizing effect of AH in ground buffalo meat patties.

Effect of different binders on the physico-chemical, textural, histological, and sensory qualities of retort pouched buffalo meat nuggets.

The functional properties of 4 binders, namely corn starch, wheat semolina, wheat flour, and tapioca starches, were evaluated to improve the quality of buffalo meat nuggets processed in retort pouches at F(0) 12.13. Incorporation of corn starch in buffalo meat nuggets produced more stable emulsion than other binders used. Product yield, drip loss, and pH did not vary significantly between the products with different binders. Shear force value was significantly higher for product with corn starch (0.42 +/- 0.0 Kg/cm(3)) followed by refined wheat flour (0.36 +/- 0.010 Kg/cm(3)), tapioca starch (0.32 +/- 0.010 Kg/cm(3)), and wheat semolina (0.32 +/- 0.010 Kg/cm(3)). Type of binder used had no significant effect on frying loss, moisture, and protein content of the product. However, fat content was higher in products with corn starch when compared to products with other binders. Texture profile indicated that products made with corn starch (22.17 +/- 2.55 N) and refined wheat flour (21.50 +/- 0.75 N) contributed firmer texture to the product. Corn starch contributed greater chewiness (83.8 +/- 12.51) to the products resulting in higher sensory scores for texture and overall acceptability. Products containing corn starch showed higher sensory scores for all attributes in comparison to products with other binders. Panelists preferred products containing different binders in the order of corn starch (7.23 +/- 0.09) > refined wheat flour (6.48 +/- 0.13) > tapioca starch (6.45 +/- 0.14) > wheat semolina (6.35 +/- 0.13) based on sensory scores. Histological studies indicated that products with corn starch showed dense protein matrix, uniform fat globules, and less number of vacuoles when compared to products made with other binders. The results indicated that corn flour is the better cereal binder for developing buffalo meat nuggets when compared to all other binders based on physico-chemical and sensory attributes.

Biochemical and physicochemical changes in spent hen breast meat during postmortem aging.

An experiment was conducted to study the biochemical and physicochemical changes with respect to improvement in tenderness of spent hen breast meat. Breast muscle obtained from freshly slaughtered spent hens (72 wk old) was divided into 5 equal lots and dipped in 1 mM NaN(3) before being packed in low-density poly-ethylene pouches under aerobic conditions and stored at refrigeration temperature (4 degrees C). Lots were removed on 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d of storage and analyzed for pH, TBA reactive substances (TBARS), total sulfhydryl content, protein-bound sulfhydryl content, nonprotein-bound sulfhydryl content, perimysial fraction, collagen content, free OH-proline, N, nonprotein N, and proteolysis rate. Shear force value and penetrometer readings were also determined after making patties from the stored muscle samples. Results showed that pH values were gradually decreasing over the storage period. The TBARS values were increasing (P < 0.001), whereas the sulfhydryl content was decreasing (P < 0.001) over the storage period. The TBARS values were negatively (P < 0.05) correlated with total sulfhydryl content. This suggests that sulfhydryl content may prevent further higher oxidation of lipids. The soluble collagen content, collagen solubility, free OH-proline, and proteolysis rate were increasing (P < 0.001) during postmortem aging. These results suggest that collagen degradation into free amino acids occurs postmortem. A gradual decrease (P < 0.001) in shear force value and a gradual increase (P < 0.001) in penetrometer readings were recorded in the patties made from matured breast meat. Therefore, postmortem aging of spent hen breast meat resulted in 23% improvement in tenderness of minced patties on 14 d and 39% on 28 d as evidenced by biochemical and physicochemical changes.

Comparative efficacy of pomegranate juice, pomegranate rind powder extract and BHT as antioxidants in cooked chicken patties.

A study was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant potential of pomegranate juice (PJ), rind powder extract (RP) and butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT) in cooked chicken patties during refrigerated storage. Freshly minced chicken meats were assigned to one of the following four treatments: control (meat treated with no antioxidants); 10mg equivalent PJ phenolics per 100g meat; 10mg equivalent RP phenolics per 100g meat; 10mg BHT per 100g meat. The patties formed from the minced meats were grilled for 20min and stored under aerobically at 4°C for 15 days. Total phenolic content (as tannic acid equivalent) significantly (P<0.05) increased from 152 in control to 195 and 224µg/g in PJ and RP patties. Addition of PJ or RP did not affect any of the sensory attributes. The TBARS values were significantly (P<0.05) reduced from 1.272 in control patties to 0.896, 0.763 and 0.203mg malonaldehyde per kg samples in BHT, PJ and RP patties, respectively. The RP treatment substantially inhibited (P<0.01) lipid oxidation in cooked chicken patties to a much greater extent than BHT treatment. The PJ or RP at a level of 10mg equivalent phenolics/100g meat would be sufficient to protect chicken patties against oxidative rancidity for periods longer than the most commonly used synthetic antioxidant like BHT.

Improvement of shelf-life of buffalo meat using lactic acid, clove oil and vitamin C during retail display.

Buffalo meat steaks dipped in either (1) distilled water (control), (2) lactic acid (LA), (3) LA+clove oil (clove), or (4) LA+clove+vitamin C (Vit C) were displayed at 4±1°C, illuminated by a standard fluorescent lamp. The pH, 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), instrumental colour (CIE L(∗), a(∗), b(∗)), aerobic plate counts (APC), psychrotrophic counts (PPC), coliform counts and sensory colour and odour were determined up to 12th day of display at 3 days interval. Results showed that, all the treatments have significantly (P<0.05) reduced the TBARS values compared to control. Among treatments, use of LA+clove has exhibited significantly (P<0.05) lowest TBARS values throughout display period than others. Buffalo meat steaks treated with either LA+clove or LA+clove+Vit C had significantly (P<0.05) lower APC, PPC and coliform counts than control or LA treated samples. LA+clove+Vit C treated samples maintained significantly (P<0.05) higher a(∗) and b(∗) values during display as well as improvement in sensory colour and odour than others. Treatment with either LA+clove or LA+clove+Vit C extended the display life of buffalo meat steaks at 4±1°C. There appears to be a significant advantage to using LA+clove or LA+clove+Vit C over LA alone.

Effect of chilling, polyphosphate and bicarbonate on quality characteristics of broiler breast meat.

1. An experiment was conducted to assess the effect of tetrasodium pyrophosphate and sodium bicarbonate on colour and sensory attributes of pre- and post-chilled breast meat. 2. Three groups of 6 halves of breasts (pre-chill) immediately after slaughter were treated with 3% tetrasodium pyrophosphate, 3% sodium bicarbonate in 2% NaCl or 2% NaCl alone (control); the remaining 6 halves (post-chill) were stored overnight at 4 degrees C and then treated similarly. Both the pre- and post-chill samples were held at 4 degrees C for 24 h and pH, water holding capacity, cooking loss, CIE colour values and sensory attributes were recorded. 3. Chilling had few effects on the meat characteristics measured in this study. 4. Treatment with phosphate and bicarbonate increased pH in both the pre- and post-chill groups. Treated breasts exhibited lower L* and higher a* value (more red) than controls. 5. A sensory evaluation study revealed improvements in colour and other sensory attributes of cooked broiler breast meat in all treated samples compared to the control. 6. The findings suggest that tetrasodium pyrophosphate and sodium bicarbonate, when injected post mortem, will have beneficial effects on several physico-chemical (pH, colour, WHC %, cooking loss) and sensory attributes of broiler meat. However, phosphate had a smaller effect than bicarbonate.

Effect of inoculation of mesophilic lactic acid bacteria on microbial and sensory changes of minced goat meat during storage under vacuum and subsequent aerobic storage.

Minced goat meat inoculated with cell suspensions of Lactococcus lactis ssp lactis (Lc. lactis) or Lactobacillus plantarum was stored under vacuum in PETPE film at 4°C and transferred to aerobic storage for 7 days in LDPE bags. During storage under vacuum, the lactic counts of the inoculated samples dropped followed by the development of spontaneous lactic flora. The pH of meat was lower in the treated samples than in the control. Towards the end of vacuum storage cell densities were lower than those in the control only for psychrotrophs in L. plantarum treatment and coliforms and staphylococcal counts in Lc. lactis treatment. There were increases in lactic counts in both treated and control samples during aerobic storage after previous vacuum storage of 18 days in trial 1 and 9 days in trial 2 with reductions in the counts of different bacterial groups and deterioration in colour of the treated samples compared with the control. When goat meat chunks were surface sanitized in alcohol and treated with lactic cell suspension and vacuum stored, there was development of acid and salty taste (acceptable) in the treated samples whereas the control showed a bland taste.