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Page No. : 85-91

ABSTRACT

Seven average sized goat forequarters were procured from freshly slaughtered animals and six of which were decontaminated with hot water spray (90°C for 2 min) and one was kept as an untreated control. Inoculation of decontaminated forequarters was carried out by S. faecalis, B. cereus, K. pneumoniae, P. aeruginosa and S. Typhimurium at a concentration of about 103 bacteria/ml. These forequarters was individually spray washed with 5% potassium sorbate, 2% lactic acid, salt combination (containing 5% sodium chloride and 2.5% each of sodium citrate, sodium acetate, sodium lactate and potassium sorbate) and acid combination (1.5% acetic and 1.5% propionic acid). Total viable count (TVC) of the treated meat samples reduced by about 0.47, 0.52, 0.96 and 1.16 log units with marginal changes in colour and odour scores, respectively, for these treatments. Inoculated organisms were found to be highly sensitive to salt and acid combination treatments, as compared to 5% potassium sorbate and 2% lactic acid treatment alone. Shelf-life of salt and acid combination treated samples increased to undesirable levels in 11 days, as against 3 days in untreated samples at refrigeration storage. The study revealed that the carcass washings by salt and acid combinations were found to be suitable for extension of shelf-life and to increase the sensory and microbiological quality of meat.

Keywords: Acids, inoculated organisms, meat, refrigeration, salts