EFFECT OF NATURAL ANTIOXIDANTS AND VACUUM PACKAGING ON THE QUALITY OFBUFFALO MEAT NUGGETS DURING REFRIGERATED STORAGE

Buffalo meat nuggets (BMN) were incorporated with 500 ppm sodium ascor bate, 10 ppm alpha-tocopherol acetate and 0.5% sodium tripolyphosphate while processing. There were three experimental groups of BMN, namely control aerobic packaged (CAP), treated aerobic packaged (TAP) and tr eated vacuum packaged (TVP), refrigerated and stored at 4 degrees C, I t was observed that the treated samples (TAP and TVP) had significantl y (p < 0.05) higher pH, W-B shear force, moisture and protein contents , sensory attributes and lower free fatty acids content in comparison to CAP samples. Vacuum packed nuggets (TVP) had significantly (p < 0.0 5) lower free fatty acid content, higher lactobacilli and total anaero be counts and markedly higher scores for flavour and overall palatabil ity, even at the 25th day of storage, Product quality reduced as stora ge time increased. Use of natural antioxidants and vacuum packaging ex tended the shelf life of BMN from 10 to 30 days under refrigerated sto rage. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.