Standardisation of jackfruit and breadfruit incorporated meat analogues

Abstract

In the study entitled "Standardisation of jackfruit and breadfruit incorporated meat analogues", meat analogues using cowpea (CWP), chickpea (CP), tender jackfruit (TJ), breadfruit (BF), wheat gluten (WG), defatted soy flour (DSF) and oyster mushroom flour (OMF) were formulated, developed and standardised. Tender jackfruit and breadfruit incorporated cowpea and chickpea meat analogues were developed in varied combinations of pulse, tender jackfruit or breadfruit and wheat gluten. Defatted soy flour (DSF) and oyster mushroom flour (OMF) were added (5 %) to all the treatments except in controls (T0 - 100 % CWP and T6 - 100 % CP). The developed fresh meat analogue cubes were soft, springy with distinctive texture which in cut surface showed defined interconnected inner framework of its ingredients. Organoleptic evaluation was conducted in which sensory attributes of tender jackfruit and breadfruit incorporated cowpea and chickpea meat analogues were evaluated. From both tender jackfruit and breadfruit incorporated cowpea and chickpea meat analogues, the treatments T5 (40 % CWP + 25 % TJ + 25 % WG + 5 % DSF + 5 % OMF) and T10 (50 % CP + 20 % TJ + 20 % WG + 5 % DSF + 5 % OMF); T4 (50 % CWP + 20 % BF + 20 % WG + 5 % DSF + 5 % OMF) and T11 (40 % CP + 25 % BF + 25 % WG + 5 % DSF + 5 % OMF)were selected respectively as best treatments based on their organoleptic evaluation scores. The selected treatments along with their controls were evaluated for their quality attributes such as nutritional studies, in vitro investigations and shelf life studies. The range of moisture content in the meat analogues was from 9.25 to 10.62 per cent. Meat analogues of this study were observed to contain total carbohydrate, protein, total fat, total ash and fibre content in the range of 32.46 to 53.29, 20.79 to 38.03, 1.06 to 1.92, 2.92 to 5.55 and 2.23 to 7.30 g 100-1 respectively. Proximate analysis also showed that meat analogues were abundant in minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc whose contents ranged from 80.25 to 94.67, 255.62 to 325.46, 23.52 to 74.43, 510.49 to 631.50, 103.64 to 181.69, 4.17 to 5.73 and 3.1 to 3.96 mg 100g -1 respectively. The protein in vitro digestibility of meat analogues was in the range of 62.12 to 80.30 per cent. High in vitro protein and mineral availability in most of the treatments was observed in tender jackfruit and breadfruit incorporated meat analogues compared to the controls. The in vitro availability of minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron and zinc of the selected treatments and the controls was in the range of 34.43 to 87.62, 47.62 to 71.43, 57.66 to 77.20, 62.54 to 82.85, 54.40 to 63.73, 52.40 to 73.32, 55.89 to 64.28 per cent respectively. The selected meat analogues and the controls were packed in food grade HDPE covers (250 gauge) and were stored at both ambient and refrigerated temperature for a period of three months. Organoleptic evaluation of meat analogues at monthly intervals showed that meat analogues stored under refrigerated condition showed better sensory qualities than their ambient stored counterparts throughout storage. The meat analogues stored at ambient and refrigerated storage were analysed for their nutritional and in vitro aspects. In both the storage conditions, an increase in the moisture content was observed on storage. In both the storage conditions, a general change in the total carbohydrate content, protein, total fat, total ash, fibre and minerals was observed. However, this change was less in most of the treatments under refrigerated storage when compared to ambient storage. Protein in vitro digestibility and in vitro availability of minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, sodium, potassium, magnesium, iron and zincshowed a general change in all the treatments. Meat analogues stored in refrigerated condition also showed a change in their protein in vitro digestibility and in vitro mineral availability after storage but this change difference was not significant in most of the meat analogues. A gradual increase in microbial count was detected on storage but the increase was very meager. However, the respective viable counts were lower in treatments of meat analogues stored under refrigerated condition against ambient condition. During storage of three months, insect infestation was not observed in any of the different treatments of meat analogues stored in both ambient and refrigerated condition. In the present study, among the organoleptically selected the treatments T5 (40 % CWP + 25 % TJ + 25 % WG + 5 % DSF + 5 % OMF) and T11 (40 % CP + 25 % BF + 25 %WG + 5 % DSF +5 % OMF) were nutritionally superior with higher protein and fibre content and therefore are considered the best treatments from tender jackfruit and breadfruit incorporated meat analogues respectively. The cost of production of the selected meat analogues and their controls ranged from Rs. 34.00 to 60.00/ 100g in the selected treatments of meat analogues. The current research found that meat analogues with improved organoleptic properties, nutritional profiles, and shelf stability could be developed using indigenous plant foods such as tender jackfruit and breadfruit, which could be a better, healthier, more cost effective and versatile alternative to other commercial meat analogues and meat.