Evaluation of lipid oxidation and microbial loads of <i>suya</i> as affected by post-mortem processing and preservation time

Abstract

Meat samples used for this study were excised from leg cuts of 9 Red Sokoto bucks. They were starved for 16hours before slaughter and their carcasses randomly assigned to three post-mortem processing methods – scalding, skinning and singeing. The carcasses were opened up, eviscerated, washed and fabricated. The meat samples from the carcasses were sliced into thin sheets about 0.20 – 0.30mm thick and between 5 – 10cm long. They were inserted onto suya sticks previously washed and dusted with suya ingredients. A total of 45 sticks of suya; 15 sticks from carcasses in each treatment (processing method) were used for this study. The meat product was preserved at room temperature (27°C) for 0, 7 and 14 days respectively in the laboratory. Lipid oxidation and microbial loads of suya were determined. The results showed that suya prepared from skinned carcasses had higher (P<0.05) lipid oxidation values and microbial load counts followed by that from scalded carcasses, while suya from singed carcasses had least (P<0.05) values of the variables. It was observed that lipid oxidation values and microbial counts increased (P<0.05) with preservation time in suya from skinned and scalded carcasses, while the increase in microbial count was observed only on the 14th day of preservation in suya samples from singed carcasses. It was suggested therefore, that singeing method be employed by suya processors for enhancing the shelf-life of the meat product as well as reducing the preservation time since the values for lipid oxidation and microbial load of suya increased as the time of preservation increased so that the product would be more acceptable to the consumers.

Keywords: Processing, Preservation, Lipid Oxidation, Microbial Load, Suya.