Utilization of gum tragacanth as bind enhancing agent in extended restructured mutton chops

Area of Science:

• Food Science
• Meat Technology
• Food Additives

Background:

• Meat product extenders can enhance health benefits and economic value.
• Extending meat products often leads to compromised binding and texture.
• Gum tragacanth (GT) is explored as a potential solution for binding improvement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of gum tragacanth (GT) as a binding agent in extended restructured mutton chops (ERMC).
• To determine the optimal incorporation level of GT for improving physico-chemical, sensory, and textural properties.
• To assess the impact of GT on water activity and microbiological characteristics of ERMC.

Main Methods:

• Incorporation of GT at 0.1%, 0.15%, and 0.2% into ERMC formulations, replacing lean meat.
• Analysis of physico-chemical properties (e.g., fat content, shear force).
• Sensory evaluation (binding, texture, overall acceptability) and textural analysis (hardness, adhesiveness).
• Assessment of water activity (aw) and microbiological profiles during storage.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in most physico-chemical properties, except fat percentage and shear force, across GT levels.
• ERMC with 0.1% GT showed significantly higher scores for binding, texture, and overall acceptability compared to control and other levels.
• Hardness and adhesiveness were significantly increased with 0.1% GT incorporation.
• Products with optimal GT levels remained sensorially acceptable for 15 days of storage.

Conclusions:

• 0.1% gum tragacanth (GT) is the optimal level for enhancing the binding, texture, and overall acceptability of extended restructured mutton chops (ERMC).
• GT incorporation improves key textural attributes without negatively impacting most physico-chemical properties.
• Extended mutton chops with optimal GT levels exhibit good shelf-life stability regarding sensory and microbiological aspects.