Effect of starter culture and turmeric on physico-chemical quality of carabeef pastirma

Carabeef samples were sliced, pressed, cured and divided into 6 groups. Starter cultures ( Micrococcus varians M483 (MV), Staphylococcus carnosus (SC), Lactobacillus sakei (LS), M. varians M483+ Lb. sakei and Staph. carnosus + Lb. sakei) were inoculated at the dose of 10 6 –0 7 cfu/g and stored at 10 ± 1°C for 7 days. Uninoculated samples were maintained as control. Samples were then divided into 2 treatment groups. Samples of treatment 1 (T 1 ) were smeared with a paste of turmeric followed by application of a thick layer of the paste of garlic, cumin, black pepper and red pepper whereas, samples of treatment 2 (T 2 ) were applied with a thick layer of spices as above without turmeric. With the gradual fall in pH there was a reduction in water-holding capacity (WHC) of samples. The WHC of samples treated with SC+LS of T 1 reduced to 6.3 ± 0.03 cm 2 and those inoculated with MV+LS of T 2 to 6.2 ± 0.03 cm 2 . The extract release volume (ERV) increased in all samples during storage. The least ERV of 11.7 and 11.6 ml were recorded in samples inoculated with MV of T 1 and T 2 , respectively. The tyrosine (TV) and thiobarbituric acid (TBA) number of turmeric treated samples were significantly lower than non turmeric treated samples. The samples inoculated with LS had the least TV of 30.9 mg tyrosine/100 g of meat and TBA number of 0.06 mg manoladehyde/kg of meat. Samples inoculated with MV and LS of both T 1 and T 2 were better in physico-chemical qualities.