THE POTENTIAL OF LOCALLY AVAILABLE INGREDIENTS AS BINDERS AND FAT REPLACERS IN THE FORMULATION OF COMMINUTED MEAT PRODUCTS

Abstract

Some meat consumers are of the opinion that chemical ingredients in meat products could leave residues which might be harmful in the long run. In addition, beef fat has certain peculiar characteristics which make it unsuitable for processing. Its omission from beef sausages however, adversely alters sensory properties and acceptability. These studies were conducted as 3 distinct experiments in an attempt to find substitutes for inorganic polyphosphates and beef fat in the formulation of comminuted sausages. The Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used in all the experiments. Experiment 1 tested the potential of fresh egg albumen (FA: at 0, 32.5 g, 49 g and 65 glkg meat), dried albumen (DA: at 0, 5 g, 7.5 g and 10 glkg meat) and sweet potato starch (SPS: at 0, 20 g, 40 g and 60 glkg meat) as binders in the formulation of beef sausages in place of polyphosphates. The control products were formulated with polyphosphates (5 glkg meat). In Experiment 2, beef sausages were formulated with egg yolk (EY), groundnut oil (GO) or soya oil (SO), at four levels each (0, 5 %, 10 % and 150 %). The control products were formulated with lean beef only (the current practice in the Ghanaian market). In Experiment 3, products were formulated using FA (32.5 g/kg) as binder and SO or GO up to 15 % as fat substitutes. The DA (5 g/kg meat) products were acceptable, but expensive, while SPS products had reduced consumer acceptability. FA (32.5 glkg meat) emerged as the most suitable and affordable substitute for polyphosphates. The EY, SO and GO, up to 15% inclusions, improved sensory characteristics and significantly (P<O.OOl) increased the unsaturated fatty acid content. The EY products however had similar levels of acceptability (P>O.OS) as the control, while the SO and GO products had significantly (P<O.OOl) higher acceptability. Products with fresh albumen and soya oil (SOIFA sausages); and fresh albumen and groundnut oil (GOlf A sausages) were highly patronized by consumers who were willing to pay up to 12.5 % more for them than the costs of control sausages. From the results obtained, SOIFA and GOlf A sausages can be adopted by meat processors for improved profit margins and higher marketability of beef sausages. The FA (32.5g/kg meat) can also be used as binder in meat products in place of polyphosphates.