Effects of Plantain Peels and Oil Palm Bunch Ash Treatment on the Physicochemical Quality of Beef

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the physicochemical characteristics of beef treated with plantain peel ash and palm fruit bunch ash. The palm fruit bunch and plantain peels were processed into ashes as palm bunch ash (PBA) and plantain peel ash (PPA). Thereafter, the ashes were prepared into solutions by dissolving 500 g of PBA or PPA in 1 liter of clean tap water and filtered. About 1.3 kg lean beef sample was purchased from the abattoir, divided into seven equal parts of 186 g each and used for the ash treatment. The meat samples were treated in 200 ml of the PBA or PPA solutions across four treatments methods in which the first was boiled in 200 ml of clean tap water for 30 minutes and served as control (T₁). The second was soaked in ash solution for 30 minutes, removed and boiled for 30 minutes in water (T₂), while the third was soaked in ash solution for 30 minutes and boiled in the same ash solution for another 30 minutes (T₃). The forth sample was boiled in ash solution for 30 minutes without prior soaking (T₄). The samples were thereafter analyzed for their physiochemical characteristics. The ash solution treatment resulted in increased bulk density (BD), Total solid (TS), Ph and swelling capacity (SW) but reduced Oil absorption capacity (OAC), wettability and colour intensity of the treated beef samples, with PBA treatment resulting in greater effects on these parameters than PPA treatment. Ash solutions may serve as enhancement solutions for beef preparation in the meat industry.