Synergistic effect of L-ascorbic acid and alpha-tocopherol acetate on the quality of ground chevon during refrigerated storage

Synergistic effect of L-ascorbic acid (AA) and alpha -tocopherol acetate (T A) on the quality of ground chevon obtained from adult male Beetal x Black Bengal crossbred goat carcasses during refrigerated storage (4 +/-1 degrees C) was studied. The pre-blended ground chevon samples with no additives, 60 0 ppm AA, 10 ppm TA and 600 ppm AA + 10 ppm TA kept in a refrigerated stora ge (4 +/-1 degreesC) revealed a synergistic effect of AA + TA to improve di fferent quality characteristics of the meat. AA + TA samples showed a signi ficantly (P<0.05) higher WHC%, colour score, odour score and lower pH, cook ing loss%, metmyoglobin (MME) %, TEARS number, PV, FFA % as compared to the control and the samples containing AA or TA alone. All the quality paramet ers showed a highly significant (P<0.01) correlation (r-value) between each other during storage. A strong relationship between TEARS number and MMb% was observed during the storage period and a regression equation (Y=0.1593 + 0.0173 X, where Y=TBARS number, X= MMb%) was established. The combined tr eatment of AA and TA for pre-blending the ground chevon samples extended th e shelf life up to 9 days as compared to 3 days in the control sample durin g the refrigerated storage.