Effect of water buffalo meat on physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory properties and on volatile compound profile of sucuk

In this research, the effects of using different proportions of water buffalo meat (100% beef, 75% beef+25% water buffalo meat, 50 beef%+50% water buffalo meat, 25% beef+75% water buffalo meat and 100% water buffalo meat) in sucuk production on microbiological and physico-chemical properties of the final product during ripening were investigated. In addition, all sucuk groups were subjected to sensory and volatile compound profile analyses at the end of ripening.The use of water buffalo meat did not show a statistically significant effect on aw, non-protein nitrogenous subtance and a* values (P>0,05). In contrast,pH value was observed to decrease as the ratio of water buffalo meat usage increased, and a consequent decrease in Micrococcus/Staphylococcus count was observed (P<0,05). However, sucuk samples produced using 75% water buffalo meat+25% beef and 100% water buffalo meat had higher TBARS value when compared to other groups (P<0,05), but TBARS value was not measured higher than 1mg MDA/kg in any of the groups. Groups containing higher water buffalo meat (75% water buffalo meat+25% beef and 100% water buffalo meat) showed higher L* values at the end of ripening when compared to other groups (P<0,05). No significant differences were observed among groups in terms of sensory properties (P>0,05). Volatile compound profile was not affected from the use of water buffalo meat, except for only one compound (P>0,05).