SENSORY QUALITY OF VACUUM-PACKED CURED-SMOKED CHICKEN FILLETS AS INFLUENCED BY Capsicum annuum EXTRACT

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of red pepper (Capsicum annuum) extract on sensory quality of vacuumpacked cured-smoked chicken fillets from improved indigenous meat-type chickens over a 60-day storage at room temperature. Experimental treatments had batches of chicken fillets cured with brine solution containing 0.015% nitrite (T1-positive control), no nitrite/extract (T2-negative control), 0.15% (T3), 0.30 %(T4), 0.45 % (T5), 0.60 % (T6) and 0.75 % (T7) capsicum extract. Sensory evaluation on day 0 and quality assessment over storage was carried out using a 9-point hedonic scale and a 3-point descriptive
scale, respectively. Data were analysed using two-way ANOVA (p<0.05).
Significant (p<0.05) effect of treatments were observed in colour, flavour tenderness and overall acceptability (OA) for sensory evaluation on day 0 only. Highest values for colour (5.30) and flavour (5.25) were recorded for T3 and T5, respectively while T7 had highest values for tenderness (6.20) and OA (7.50).
For quality changes over storage, rate of slime formation and colour change were significantly affected by treatments while visible microbial growth, odour, muscular elasticity and overall quality were not (p<0.05) affected. Duration of storage, however had (p<0.05) effect on all parameters measured. No slime formation was observed on day 0 for most treatments up to day 60, darker brown colour was observed as storage days progressed, on-set of off-odour at day 45 (2.39) and softer fillets with average muscular return up to day 60 (2.54). Overall quality reduced from excellent (3.00) on day 0 to acceptable / unacceptable (range of 1.3 to 2.1) for all treatments on day 60.
Inclusion of Capsicum annuum extract and duration of storage influenced the sensory quality of vacuumpacked cured-smoked chicken fillets to varying degrees. Overall quality of fillets during shelf storage was assessed as acceptable up to day 30 of storage.