WOOD SPECIE(S) SUITABLE FOR HANDLING MEAT BASED ON PROTEIN CONTENT IN BAUCHI METROPOLIS

Abstract

Farm product such as meat is highly perishable to a varying degree. The perishability is further aggravated by prevalent poor handling and storage practices, insanitary habits, and ignorance. However, in fabrication of storage and handling equipment for perishable farm products, the focus lays on the prevention of contaminations during the short period of contact, hence the need to determine the physical properties, phytochemical constituent of some selected wood species and proximate composition of meat and the mean effect of the wood on nutritional value of the meat. To achieve these, the experiment was laid out in a 3 ×3 ×2 factorial experiment involving three species of wood material (Kaya senegalensis (W 1) , Isoberlinia doka (W 2) and Mansonia altissima (W 3), three duration (3 hours (T 1) , 6 hours (T 2) and 9 hours (T 3) and wooden board (coated and uncoated) as (C 1 ×C 2), arrange in randomized complete design (RCD) in three replications making a total of 3 ×3 ×3=27 ×2= 54 treatments. The physical properties of the wood species were determined. The meat was minced before and after handling on different species of wood for three (3) hours interval of the 3 replications and proximate analysis was conducted for determination of moisture, protein, fat, and ash content. All data generated was analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and mean effects of meat handled on wood were determined. The results of the physical properties of wood species revealed that, the moisture content of the wood species ranges from (8-10%) and porosity index value (1.28 - 1.79), which is suitable for handling meat in terms of the physical properties. The most valuable component of meat from the nutrition and processing point of view is protein. Protein contents values define the quality of raw beef meat. The result of proximate composition of meat handled on wooden board made of Isoberlinia doka retained the right nutritional quality based on protein content at (20.41%) which falls within USDA standard (USDA, 2010) for acceptable protein content of Meat and was significantly different at (P<0.05). Monsonia altissima, when coated resulted in beef meat retaining higher protein content across all stages of exposure time which falls above required acceptable standard. It was noted that Monsonia altissima posed health risk during handling due to its potential to cause Asthma, Pneumonia and sensitization through its dust, hence proper selection of wooden material needs to be developed to ensure nutrient are preserved in food.