EVALUATION OF SENSORY CHARACTERISTICS OF DIFFERENT PROCESSED MEAT PRODUCTS FROM INTENSIVELY REARED BUCK AND RAM IN JOS PLATEAU STATE

Abstract

The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensory characteristics of different processed meat products from intensively reared buck and ram. The experiment was carried out at Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology Vom, Plateau State. Two (2) intensively reared Red Sokoto bucks and Yankasa rams aged 12 months and weighing 15 – 20 kg were used for this experiment. The bucks and rams were randomly selected and were fed mainly Rhode grass (Chloris gayana) as basal diet. Prior to the slaughtering processes, the animals were fasted for 24 hours with free access to water. The carcasses were cut into primal cuts (shoulder, rack, loin, breast shark and flank) according to standard method. Four kilograms (4 kg) each of lean meat were collected from the loin region of each of the animals for further processing. The meat was collected and processed from each animal into different meat products (Tsire, Balangu and Tukunya) and subjected to sensory evaluation for their Colour, Flavour, Tenderness, Texture, Juiciness and acceptance. Ten (10) panelists were trained for the assessment procedure two days prior to the evaluation. The results obtained from the panelist reports showed that there was no significant difference in the colours and overall acceptability of the meat products from buck and ram (p>0.05). Tukunya differed significantly (P<0.05) in flavour and tenderness when compared with Balangu and Tsire from buck while all the meat products (Tsire, Balangu and Tukunya) from buck differed significantly (P<0.05) when compared based on their juiciness and texture. The meat products from ram showed no significant difference (p>0.05) in their colour but based on the flavour and juiceness, Tukunya differed significantly when compared with Tsire and Balangu (P<0.05). The tenderness, texture and overall acceptability of Tsire, Balangu and Tukunya from ram meat differed significantly (P<0.05) when compared. In conclusion, there was no difference in the colour of the meat products based on species while other sensory characteristics varied according to the meat products. Finally, the overall acceptability of the meat products from goats were the same while that of the ram varied based on the products.