Comparative Evaluation of the Effects of Three Local Spices on Nutrient and Organoleptic Qualities of Rabbit Meat

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of three different spices: Monodora myristica (African Nutmeg), Zingiber officinale (Ginger), and Piper guineense (African Black Pepper) on chemical composition and organoleptic characteristics of dried rabbit meats. The three spices collected as seeds were processed into meals before applied on the fresh meat cut (loin) obtained from ten (10) rabbit bucks slaughtered. The treatments were arranged as follows: T₁ (200g meat without spice) which served as control, T₂ (200g meat +5% Nutmeg) T₃ (200g meat + 10% Nutmeg), T₄ (200g meat +5% Ginger) T₅ (200g meat +10% Ginger), T₆ (200g meat + 5% African Black Pepper) T₇ (200g meat +10% African Black Pepper).Each treatment was oven dried before presented to taste panel that adjudged the test for colour, flavour, tenderness, juiciness and overall acceptability. Samples of each treatment were analysed for chemical composition. Results obtained indicated that there were significant (p<0.05) differences in flavour, tenderness and overall acceptability. Meat spiced with Zingiber officinale was rated significantly (p<0.05) higher in tenderness, flavour and overall acceptability both at 5% and 10% level, followed by Monodora myristica, which was not different (p>0.05) from the control (meat without spice), while meats spiced with Piper guineense scored least. Laboratory analysis also showed that rabbit meats spiced with Ginger recorded lowest fat at 5% while meats spiced with Piper guineense recorded highest protein content at 10%. Keywords: Ginger, black pepper, nutmeg, rabbit meat,