SENSORY QUALITY RATINGS, CONSUMPTION PATTERN AND PREFERENCE FOR SOME SELECTED MEAT TYPES IN NIGERIA

Sensory quality attributes, consumption pattern and preference for som e selected Nigerian meat types (beef, goat meat, mutton, grasscutter ( Thryonomys swinderianus raptorum), African giant rat (Cricetomys gambi anus-water house) were investigated. Sensory quality scores were carri ed out using a panel of thirty carefully screened consumers, based on a 9-point hedonic scale: While consumer consumption pattern and prefer ence were assessed through a field survey of 120 randomly selected res pondents using a well structured questionnaire. It was found that beef was the most consumed meat followed by goat meat, then mutton, grassc utter and lastly African giant rat. Consumption of grasscutter was con strained by availability and cost. Goat meat was the most preferred, f ollowed by beef, grasscutter, mutton and African giant rat. In laborat ory sensory rating of the meat types, grasscutter had the greatest acc eptability followed by goat meat, mutton, African giant rat and lastly beef. The result showed that grasscutter was the most acceptable beca use of its good meat colour, flavour tenderness and juiciness. It is r ecommended that more research effort be placed on domestication, breed ing and management of grasscutter and African giant rat so as to remov e the availability and high cost constraints militating against the ut ilization of these mammals.