Assessment of Degree of Spoilage of Meat in a Daily Simulated Market Style of Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Degree of spoilage and wholesomeness of beef sold at different hours of the day at Oja-Oba market in Akure was investigated. Spoilage was assessed based on the chemical analysis in which Trimethylamine (TMA) level in each of meat samples was measured using standard pictrate technique as described by Muray and Gibson, (1972a and b). The effect of time (hours) on TMA concentration revealed no significantly different at (p≥0.05) in the spoilage rate of meat, though, the mean value of TMA concentration of liver, meaty, and fatty portion increases as the time (hours) increases. The degree of spoilage is higher in the late evening (9 hours). Therefore, buying and selling of meat in the late evening should be discouraged to reduce the risk of unwholesom