Physical and Chemical Attributes of a Ready-to-Eat Meat Product during the Processing: Effects of Different Cooking Methods

The effects of cooking time (10–50 min) and treatments (atmospheric, pressure, and microwave cooking) on Kavurma (a ready-to-eat meat product) were investigated. Atmospheric and pressure cooking technique had more desirable quality attributes than microwave cooking technique on kavurma production. Color, texture, moisture content, pH, and 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values were followed during processing. Moisture content, pH, 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, hardness, and chewiness values of microwave cooked samples were significantly different (p < 0.05) than that of atmospheric and pressure cooked samples. The microwave cooking method had the greatest influence on lipid oxidation compared to others. While the level of 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance was lower which was under the threshold value of 1 mg MA/kg in atmospheric and pressure cooking, it was higher in microwave cooking. On the other hand, among Hunter color values, lightness value increased (p < 0.05) for atmospheric cooked samples while it decreased by time for pressure and microwave cooked samples. However, a* and b* values of microwave and pressure cooked samples were significantly higher than atmospheric cooked samples.