EFFECT OF PHYTOCHEMICAL CONSTITUENTS OF MORINGA LEAVES EXTRACT ON THE SHELF LIFE OF GROUND BUFFALO MEAT (KEEMA)

Abstract

The aim of the work was to study the effect of phytochemical constituents of moringa leaves extract (MLE) on shelf life of ground buffalo meat. The moringa leaves collected were extracted by decoction, hot infusion and cold infusion method. The extracts were then analyzed for total phenols, total flavonoids and radical scavenging capacity. The extract with highest amount of these parameters was incorporated in the ground meat at the concentration of 1% and 1.5% of total ground meat mass. It was then compared with meat treated with 0.01% BHT (Butylated hydroxytoluene) of sample and control. Then the subsequent changes in peroxide value (PV), TBARS value and total plate count (TPC) of the samples was studied every alternate day stored in the refrigerated system at 4°C. Analysis of variance was done and Tukey’s honesty test was performed by JMP version 14 at p<0.05. From ANOVA and PCA result, sample extracted by Decoction method was found to have highest amount of phenol, flavonoid, and DPPH radical scavenging capacity. Therefore, it was incorporated in the ground buffalo meat sample. Peroxide values for control, 0.01% BHT, 1% MLE and 1.5% MLE, peak value reached at 6th, 10th, 12th and 14th day of storage respectively. TBARS value for control, 0.01% BHT, 1% MLE and 1.5% MLE added samples, reached the threshold of 1 mg MDA/kg sample at 6th, 10th, 12th and 16th days respectively. For Total plate count, the control sample exceeded the legal threshold (107) in 8 days while the samples with 0.01% BHT 1% MLE and 1.5% MLE exceeded the limit in 10, 14 and 16 days respectively. The performance of MLE extract in terms of antioxidative and antimicrobial properties was significantly higher compared to the synthetic antioxidant.