Development of ready to cook solar and mechanically dried pork products

Abstract

Pork is one of the most popular meats in North Eastern Region (NER) and there newlineis a growing demand for Ready-to-Cook meat products in recent years in the country newlineincluding NER. Because of highly perishable nature of fresh meat at room temperature, newlinehigh cost involved in maintaining refrigeration, necessity of cold storage facility, newlinepresence of energy deficient areas in NER, disadvantages of traditional drying methods newlineto increase the shelf-life etc. an approach was undertaken to develop dry Ready-to-Cook newlinepork products, which could be stored at room temperature for a considerable period newlinewithout affecting its quality. newlineKeeping in view the above facts, the proposed study was undertaken with the newlinefollowing objectives viz. to develop ready to cook solar and mechanically dried pork newlineproducts with the addition of phytoingredients viz. amla, carrot, mint, round lemon and newlinepomegranate and to study their different physico-chemical, microbiological, oganoleptic newlinequalities by storing with two packaging methods along with their shelf-life and cost of newlineproduction. newlineA total of five batches of meat cube and meat balls were prepared with different newlineformulations with or without addition of the phytoingredients. A control group was there newlinefor each treatment group. The raw pork were collected from nearby local market and newlineseparated in two parts for meat cubes and balls. Meat was cut into small pieces and cured newlineovernight and then marinated with non meat ingredients containing phytoingredients and newlinedried in solar and mechanical dryers. The control group was also dried along with the newlinetreated group which contained only cured meat. The meat balls were prepared by curing newlinethe minced meat overnight and then bowl chopped with other non meat ingredients and newlinethen shape was given as meat balls. They were also dried in solar and mechanical dryers newlinealong with the control group. The temperature of the mechanical dryer was maintained at newline60° C, whereas in solar dryer it was fluctuating between 50-60°C. The products were newlinepacked in food grade High Density Polyethyle