Abstract
The present study investigated the physicochemical properties of pastirma prepared from beef, mutton, pork and horse meat. Left semimembranosus muscles from four carcasses of each species were processed into pastirma and the corresponding right muscles were used fresh for comparison. The proximate composition, pH, lipid oxidation, fatty acid profile and color of fresh and processed samples were determined. The shear force of the processed samples was also evaluated. The proximate composition varied among the meat types and greatly influenced by pastirma processing. Beef and pork pastirma had the highest protein content, while horse and mutton pastime had the highest fat content (P<0.05). Mutton pastirma had the lowest shear force and the highest Chroma value compared with other meats (P<0.05). Raw horse meat had the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), but pastirma from all samples had similar PUFA contents.
Practical ApplicationsMeat from different species offers the opportunity to generate products with different physicochemical characteristics and nutritional values. Pastirma from various types of meats had different protein and fat contents, texture, color and lipid oxidation levels, suggesting different eating and keeping qualities of the final products. Processing horse meat into pastirma decreased the concentrations of polyunsaturated fatty acid, suggesting loss of important nutrients and pastirma processing may not be the best processing option for horse meat, unless the sensory evaluation of the products, currently progressing, shows an advantage for horse meat.