Studies on processing and refrigerated storage of 'Rista'

Effects of mutton fat levels, hot-boned versus cold-boned meat and manual versus machine mincing were studied on the quality of ‘Rista’—a popular emulsion type ground meat product of Kashmir (India). Incorporation of lamb fat at 20% level was found optimum for processing Rista. Both pre-rigor and chilled (post-rigor) meat were utilised for product manufacture. Addition of 0·5% sodium tripolyphosphate improved product binding, texture and yield. All these effects were more pronounced in machine minced Rista samples processed from cold-boned lamb meat, as compared with hot-processed and hand minced product. Cooked Rista was stored in low density polyethylene bags (0·25 μm thickness) at 4 ± 1°C in satifactory condition for 4 days.