Comparative evaluation of the quality and safety attributes of local and branded beef seekh kabab

Abstract

Food safety assurance systems are growing increasingly strict in both industrialized and developing nations as a result of increased, both real and perceived food safety concerns. This is happening as a result of developments in both public (such as direct regulation and product liability) and private (such as self and third-party certification) quality control systems. This study assessed the microbial safety, heavy metals contamination, and sensorial characteristics of beef seekh kababs made by local and branded restaurants in Faisalabad. A total of 24 samples were collected from four regions (R1 Lyallpur town, R2 Madina town, R3 Jinnah town, and R4 Iqbal town) of Faisalabad, and analyzed. Physicochemical parameters including moisture, fat, pH, ash, proteins and color (L*, b* and a*), microbiological parameters such as total plate count (TPC), total Coliform count (TCC), E. coli O157:H7, and heavy metals (Cd, Fe, Pb, and Zn) content were determined. Moreover, the lab supervisor and 18 food technology students, who had prior tasting experience, conducted sensory tests on the samples. They evaluated the samples right after they reached the laboratory, before any other analyses. Results showed that the R2 (Local) sample had the significantly (p < .05) highest moisture (61.57%), lowest protein (28.08%), highest fat (14.51%), highest pH (5.72), highest ash (2.93), highest L* value (48) as well as b* value (11.79) but lowest a* value (9.2). Microbiological analyses showed that samples from R2 (L) have recorded the highest microbial load of TPC (8.54 log cfu/g), TCC (2.31 log cfu/g) and E. coli O157:H7 (1.31 log cfu/g). density of 2.4 log cfu/g. R4 (L) showed lowest TPC (3.11 log cfu/g) and TCC (1.03 log cfu/g), with no E. coli O157:H7 detected. Results of heavy metals analyses showed that R4 (L) had the lowest Fe, Zn, Cd and Pb content (68.65 mg/kg, 8.35 mg/kg, 0.10 mg/kg and 1.87 mg/kg, respectively). R2(L) had the highest Fe, Zn, Cd, and Pb content (191 mg/kg, 16.57 mg/kg, 0.96 mg/kg and 4 mg/kg, respectively). Sensory evaluation showed that R4 (L) recorded the best score. The kabab produced from good quality meat under proper hygienic and sanitary conditions had the best quality and safety.

Keywords

• Food safety
• food quality
• seekh kababs
• physicochemical properties
• sensorial properties
• M. Luisa Escudero-Gilete, Nutrition and Bromatology, Universidad de Sevilla, Spain