EFFECT OF PROTEOLYTIC ENZYME TREATMENTS AND PRESSURE COOKING ON QUALITY OF SPENT SHEEP MEAT CURRY

ABSTRACT

This study was conducted to improve the qualities of meat curry prepared from tough sheep meat. Tenderization treatments given before or during preparation of meat curry included spraying of powder of dried cucumis fruits, marinating meat chunks in ginger rhizome paste, 0.75% citric acid solution, 0.6% papain enzyme solution or cooking of chunks in specially designed pressure cooker at 15 psi. All these tenderizing treatments caused significant improvement in sensory scores of sheep meat curry in comparison to control. Shear force and collagen values were significantly lower in all treated meat curry samples than the control. Although there was significant increase (P < 0.01) in thiobarbituric acid-reducing substance, pH and microbial load of meat curry on the fifth day of refrigerated storage, all the values were within the prescribed limits, and all samples were well acceptable. Magnitudes of changes during storage were less in citric acid- and ginger-treated chunks than the control and other treated chunks.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

Different tenderizing agents suggested for tenderization of sheep meat can be easily used to improve the quality of meat curry. Conditions standardized for cooking tough meat at 15 psi proved very effective in improving the qualities of meat curry from spent animals in comparison to cooking of control samples in ordinary pressure cooker (at 10 psi). Cucumis powder proved very effective in improving all the sensory attributes. Use of citric acid and ginger extract can be recommended when meat curry is to be used after storage at refrigerated temperature.

These techniques of tenderization of tough meat before or during cooking can be easily adopted at small-scale and industrial levels. Improvement in tenderness will be of great value to meat processors and consumers. Better avenues for spent sheep meat utilization would also contribute for increased returns to the farmers. The process will not involve any significant extra expenditure, equipment or technique.