Physicochemical characteristics of pork meatballs mixed with Amaranthus caudatus

Abstract

The main objective was to compare the physicochemical characteristics of meatballs produced from pork meat and wheat flour mixed with Amaranthus caudatus. Meatballs were produced with two different formulations: meatballs without Amaranthus caudatus and meatballs having Amaranthus caudatus. The different parameters, such as temperature, PH, fat content, weight loss, and titratable acidity, were compared from one formulation to another. The results showed that the pH value and fat content of those having A. caudatus, were lower than those found in meatballs without A.caudatus, but the temperature, weight loss, and titratable acidity were more than those found in meatballs without A.caudatus. By this, the PH value for the initial time was 6.1 compared to 6.3, the meatball fat content without A. caudatus of about 3.7% than the meatball fat content with A. caudatus of about 2.9%, and the different weight loss between those two meatballs was 19.47% (59g), and finally, the titratable acidity was 1.8% in meatballs with A. caudatus than 0.26% in those without A. caudatus. The meatballs with A.caudatus had a greater acidity and lower lipids than the meatballs without A.caudatus. Also, the acid concentration of both meatballs has significant for consumers and the loss of weight means that the lowering of water content is an indication of a good storage process.