EFFECT OF PACKAGING MATERIALS AND STORAGE LENGTH ON OXIDATIVE RANCIDITY AND SENSORY EVALUATIONOF BALANGU READYTO-EAT MEAT

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of packaging materials and storage period on Storage stability (Thiobarbituric Reactive Substances), Appearance and ordor of balangu RTE-MP in a 3×4 factorial arrangement involving three packaging materials (aluminium foil, kraft paper and polyethylene film) and four storage length (0 , 24, 48 and 72 hrs) in a completely randomised design. Packaging materials and storage period had significant effect (P<0.05) on the Thiobarbituric Reactive Substances (TBARS), appearance (colour) and odour of balangu samples (Table 1). The TBARS value was significantly higher in samples packaged in polyethylene film than aluminium foil packaged samples, which was higher than samples packaged in paper.  Appearance was scored significantly higher by paper packaged samples than aluminium foil packaged samples which did not differ significantly with paper and polyethylene film packaging, but higher than polyethylene film packaged samples. Similarly, samples packaged in paper had scored significantly higher than aluminium foil and polyethylene film which did not differ significantly. At storage, TBARS values, appearance and odor score increased from control with increase in storage period. There was also a significant interaction (P<0.01) between packaging materials and storage period on all the parameters measured after the storage period.The study concluded that the favourable combination of packaging material and storage length that could optimize storage stability, appearance and odor of balangu could be packaging in kraft paper or aluminium foil and utilized within up to 24 hrs of post-production.