Quality characteristics of fermented buffalo beef sausage

Abstract

Suitability of using meat of swamp buffalo (carabeef) alone or in combination with pork in production of fermented sausage was assessed. Four combinations of sausage mix viz., 80% carabeef lean +20% carabeef fat (Combination I), 80% carabeef lean +10% carabeef fat (Combination II), 60% carabeef lean +20% pork lean +20% carabeef fat (Combination III) and 60% carabeef lean +20% pork lean +10% carabeef fat +10% pork fat (Combination IV) were used. pH of the sausages of all the four combinations declined from the beginning to the end of the production process and the sausages of Combination I recorded the lowest pH of 4.62±0.02. There was a gradual fall in the moisture content of the sausages with the advancement of production schedule and on 25th day, the moisture content were 40.13±1.05, 38.12±0.90, 40.22±1.12 and 39.04±0.15% in sausages of Combinations I to IV, respectively. Expulsion of moisture from the sausage mix might have caused an increase in crude protein (CP), ether extract (EE) and total ash (TA) content of sausages and in the finished product with the mean CP, EE and TA content recorded at 28.41±1.01 to 32.14±1.02, 25.97±1.10 to 30.22±1.09 and 2.58±0.09 to 2.98±0.03%, respectively. Ready-to-eat sausages contained residual nitrite between 21.45±3.67 to 23.87±5.09 mg/kg. The total viable counts, coliform and yeasts and moulds counts of the finished products were 5.38±0.12 to 5.50±0.04 log10cfu/g, 3±0 (MPN/g) and 3.28±0.12 to 3.39±0.09 log10cfu/g, respectively. Panel score for appearance and colour of sausages prepared with different combinations of the sausage mix were not different significantly. Sausages of Combinations I and II enjoyed significantly (P<0.01) higher panel ratings for flavour and juiciness, respectively. Good quality fermented sausage could be prepared with swamp buffalo beef alone or in combination with pork.