Dr. Renuka NayarSIVARANJANI M.2024-02-012024-02-012023-01-09https://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810206642The study entitled “Quality of buffalo meat dried by hot air and microwave” was carried out in the department of Livestock Products Technology, College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Pookode. The objectives of this study were to standardise the drying techniques, evaluate physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory attributes of dried buffalo meat and to assess the shelf life of the product. Buffalo meat from round portion of buffalo carcass was procured from local meat retail shop and it was subjected to drying by hot air and hot air- microwave combination drying. Buffalo meat was cut into strips, salt was applied at 2% and one portion was dried in a cabinet drier at 60 ̊ C for 14 hours and packed in aerobic (T1) and vacuum (T2) and the second portion was dried in hot air- microwave combination drying, 60 ̊ C for 3 hours in cabinet drier followed by microwave for 5- 10 minutes at high power and packed separately in aerobic (T3) and vacuum (T4) and stored at ambient temperature (25-30 ̊ C).The dried buffalo meat was subjected to physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory qualities on the day of preparation (day 0), 30, 60, and 90. A steady increase in pH was observed during storage period in all the treatments and might be due to alkaline products of proteolysis. Between the treatments the water activity was almost similar on all days on storage except on day 90 where it decreased. Significantly higher (P<0.05) in Thiobarbituric acid reacting substances (TBARS) number and tyrosine value (TV) was found in T3 and T4 when compared to T1 and T2. Both TBARS and TV values significantly (P<0.001) increased on storage in all treatments indicating lipid peroxidation and proteolysis. L* values were significantly (P<0.01) lower for T3 and T4.On days 30, 60 and 90 T3 and T4 showed significantly (P<0.05) higher a* values. Values of b*, hue angle and chroma were significantly (P<0.01) lower for T3 and T4, and these values increased significantly for all on storage. Hardness values significantly (P<0.001) decreased on storage and might be due to proteolytic changes. T3 and T4 had significantly (P<0.05) lower moisture content thanT1and T2 on all days of analysis except the day of preparation. No significant difference was observed in protein, fat, ash, carbohydrate and calorific values between treatments. Aerobic plate count and yeast and mold count were significantly lower for T3 and T4, and in all treatments the counts increased on day 30 and then decreased on further storage. Vacuum packaged dried buffalo meat showed significantly (P<0.001) lower aerobic plate count and yeast and mold count than aerobic packaged dried buffalo meat. Sensory evaluation revealed there was no significant difference in appearance, flavour, texture, juiciness, after taste and overall acceptability between treatments. Appearance and flavour scores reduced significantly (P<0.01) during storage and juiciness score of T2 reduced significantly (P<0.05) during storage. Texture and overall acceptability scores did not show significant difference during storage. Both drying techniques showed similar proximate principles, physico-chemical and sensory attributes. However, better microbial quality was obtained in hot air–microwave combination and vacuum packaging had a significant effect only in microbiological quality. Energy consumption was lower in hot air–microwave combination drying and it took less than one-fourth the time of hot air drying. Thus, hot air-microwave combination drying can be adopted for cost effective, time saving drying of buffalo meat with acceptable qualities which can be stored for 90 days under aerobic as well as vacuum packaging.EnglishThesis