Investigation of the effect of adding mustard leaf powder in different ratios on the physical chemical, sensory and microbiological properties of meat meatballs

In this study, the effects of adding mustard leaf powder as an antimicrobial agent on the physicochemical, microbial and sensory properties of ready-to-eat meat patties were examined. For this purpose, meatballs produced with the addition of 0%, 1%, 2% and 4% mustard leaf powder were cooked in the oven and stored in the refrigerator at +4 °C for twenty eight days. Addition of mustard leaf powder and storage time significantly (p<0.05) affected the pH and TBA values of the meatballs and the numbers of TAMB, psychrophilic bacteria and thermophilic bacteria. While the addition of mustard leaf powder significantly (p<0.05) affected the L*(inner), L*(outer), a*(inner), a*(outer), b*(inner) and b*(outer) values of the meatballs, the effect of storage time on these properties was found to be insignificant (p>0.05). It has been determined that as the amount of mustard leaf powder added to the meatballs increases, the development of microorganisms in the meatballs slows down or stops, meaning that mustard leaf powder has an antimicrobial effect. Sensory evaluations showed that the mustard leaf powder added into the meatball samples could be accepted by the panelists at a rate of up to 2%.