Abstract:
Unam inung (Ui), a popular salted pork product produced and consumed locally in
Calabar metropolis has dwindled in popularity due to the non-availability of standard
recipe leading to high variation in its quality. A standard recipe for Ui could boost its
production and also make it a popular commercial meat product. However, a
standardised salt inclusion level and technique for Ui production is yet to be
adequately documented. Hence, quality attributes of Ui prepared using varying table
salt concentrations, pork cuts and processing methods were assessed.
Samples of Commercial Ui (CUi) from three processors (P1, P2, P3) were assessed for
their proximate composition and Total Bacteria Count (TBC, log cfu/g) using standard
procedures. Freshly harvested pork bellies were sectioned into five slabs 129.54 x
216.2 x 26.9mm dimension each weighing 500g. Each slab was dry-rubbed with 0, 5,
10, 15 and 20 % Table Salt (TS) w/w in a completely randomised design in triplicate.
The slabs were stacked, sundried and reshuffled at two-day intervals for eight days.
Weight Loss (WL, g), TBC, Lipid Oxidation (LO, mg/kg), and the proximate
compositions were determined following standard procedures. Pork from belly, ham,
shoulder, and loin of similar dimensions were sectioned into slabs and dry rubbed with
15% TS. The pork cuts were kept raw, smoked or sun-dried in a 3x4 factorial
arrangement in a completely randomised design. Proximate composition and TBC
were determined. Data were subjected to descriptive statistics, regression and ANOVA
at α0.05.
The CUi had similar crude protein content while, the ash (%) in P2 (6.5±1.0) and P3
(6.8±1.0) were significantly higher than in P1 (4.0±1.0). The ether extracts of
21.6±1.0% (P1) and 20.0±1.0% (P3) were similar but higher than 17.3±1.3% (P2). The
TBC of 3.36 ±0.02 (P2) was higher than 3.17±0.20 (P3) and 3.07±0.11(P1). The WL
reduced progressively with increased addition of TS from 32.5±6.0 (5%), 24.5±3.3
(10%), 21.3±1.0 (15%) to 17.1±0.6 (20%). Significantly lower TBC of 3.2±0.2 was in
Ui rubbed with 15% TS than 8.1±0.1 (0%), 5.5±0.1 (5%), 3.5±0.2 (10%) and 3.5±0.1
(20%). The relationship between TS inclusion levels in Ui and TBC (R2=0.99) was
significant. The LO of 0.616±0.01 (10%) and 0.634±0.012 (15%) were similar but
higher than 0.174±0.012 (0%), 0.195±0.008 (5%) and 0.484±0.013 (20%). Ash (%)
content of 25.4±1.9 and 27.2±0.1 in 15% and 20% TS slabs were higher than 18.7±2.5
and 9.2±1.1 in 10% and 5% TS slabs, respectively. Ether extracts of 25.3±3.1 (5%)
and 23.8±4.3 (20%) were significantly higher than 17.8±2.7 (10%) while 21.25±1.0
(15%) was similar to 5, 10 and 20% treatments. The CP of 29.08±2.85 (5%) was
significantly higher than 19.88±1.73 (10%), 23.32±2.50 (15%), and 23.46±4.06 (20%).
Effects of interaction of processing methods and meat cuts on proximate composition
of Ui were significant. The TBC of 3.2± 0.1 in raw meat cut was significantly higher
than 3.06±0.01 (sundried) and 3.09±0.05 (smoked) meat samples.
Dry-rubbing pork with 15% w/w table salt lowered total microbial load while smoking
and sun-drying enhanced the shelf life.