Effect of spice extracts in combination with packaging materials and treatments on the stability of ground buffalo meat product stored under frozen conditions
Proximate analysis, expressible water(EP), water holding capacity (WHC), pH value, total acidity, free fatty acids (FFA), thiobarbituric acid values (TBA), color evaluation, and microbiological examination were determined in order to evaluate the effect of spice extracts in combination with packaging materials and treatments on the stability of ground buffalo meat product stored under frozen conditions up to six months. The samples were treated by spice extracts and packaged in two packaging materials low density polyethylene (LDPE) bags without vacuum, and laminated polyethylene/nylon bags under vacuum. The results indicated that all the samples had lost moisture during storage, and the loss was higher in samples packaged in (LDPE), also the (EP) values increased, whereas, (WHC) values decreased with time during storage for all samples. The samples indicated a reduction in the pH values and an increase in the acidity values especially for the first four months of storage and these changes were associated with an increase in the (FFA) values as a result of storage. The increment in the pH value was the lowest in the control samples and this indicated the effect of natural antioxidants to retard the formation of (FFA). The (TBA) values for the control samples were higher than those packaged under vacuum or treated by spice extracts. The storage time had a negative effect on the total bacterial counts and the coliform group for all samples. The rate of reduction was much higher in the vacuum packaged samples and the spice extracts treated samples as well especially those treated by black cumin extracts than the untreated or samples packaged without vacuum. The color measurements showed a decrease in the redness value for all samples during storage period. The rate of reduction was much higher in the control samples than the treated ones.