Effect of Curing, Antioxidant Treatment, and Smoking of Buffalo Meat on pH, Total Plate Count, Sensory Characteristics, and Shelf Life During Refrigerated Storage

Abstract

The effects of curing, antioxidants, and smoking on pH, total plate count (TPC), and sensory characteristics of buffalo meat stored at 0°C and packed in low density polyethylene (LDPE) bags were investigated. It was observed that treatment of curing, antioxidants (Sodium ascorbate, SA), and smoking, either alone or in combination, significantly (p < 0.05) increased pH and reduced TPC of control meat sample. The combined treatments of curing + smoking and curing + SA + smoking were significantly (p < 0.05) different from the single treatments of curing and smoking (least significant difference, LSD, was found to be less than the difference of log TPC/g values of these treatments). Sensory characteristics, like color and texture, were also significantly improved by single as well as combined treatments of curing, antioxidants, and smoking. However, these treatments did not significantly (p < 0.05) affect aroma of the controlled meat sample. Storage study (at refrigeration temperature, 0°C) revealed that the combined treatment of curing + SA + smoking was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) different and most effective in increasing the shelf life of the controlled meat sample. The shelf lives of meat samples were exactly determined by TPC value and sensory characteristics (total plate count in the order of 107, slimy texture, and undesirable aroma described the beginning of spoilage). The shelf life of control, cured, curing + SA, smoked, cured + smoked, and cured + SA + smoked were found to be 20, 30, 35, 25, 30, and 50 days respectively.