Sensory and nutritional qualities of frankfurter sausages with sweet potato as extender

This study investigated the effects of three varieties of sweet potatoes: orange, purple and white-fleshed sweet potato purees on the sensory, nutritional and oxidation rate of frankfurter sausages. The study was conducted at University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale. The products formulations took place at the Meat processing unit of UDS, while chemical and microbiological analyses were carried out at laboratories of University for Development Studies, Nyankpala Campus. A complete randomized design was used. Spices were randomly assigned to the minced meat and each treatment was replicated three times. The sweet potato purees were added to 2kg of meat at 0%, 10%, and 15% each. Sensory attributes of products did not differ significantly (P>0.05) when puree was incorporated in frankfurter sausages except overall liking which was insignificantly higher (P<0.05) on the first day of production. The peroxide value of TO was significantly (P<0.05) higher throughout the period of storage than the other formulations. The peroxide value of the products ranged from 4.0 to 4.8meq/kg. There were significant differences (P<0.05) in pH and moisture. Among products, OFP1 10% had the lowest value whiles OFP2 15% had the highest pH value. Except for crude fat content all proximate parameters taken into accounts were significantly affected (p <0.05) among various formulations. The protein content ranged from 18.52-20.78% whiles ash and fat ranged from 5.15-6.80% and 15.62-17.50%, respectively. There was a significant reduction in protein content as sweet potato inclusion increased from (0%, 10% and 15%). The moisture content of sweet potato frankfurter sausage ranged from 56.15-66.45%. The inclusion level of 15% was found to have higher values to 10% inclusion level. However, significant differences (P<0.01) were observed among treatments for all minerals studied. Iron and zinc contents among formulations were all significantly different (P<0.01) from each other. The sweet potato puree did not negatively affect the sensory and nutritional qualities of frankfurter sausages

Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance patterns of E. coli isolates from cow milk, milk products and handlers in the tamale metropolis of Ghana

This study was carried out in the Tamale Metropolis of Ghana to determine the prevalence and antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli in pasteurized cow milk, cow milk products and hands of cow milk sellers. The conventional method and the disk diffusion method were used for the isolation and antibiotic susceptibility testing of Escherichia coli, respectively. The overall prevalence of Escherichia coli was 42.7% (128/300). Pasteurized milk and raw ‘wagashie’ were the most commonly contaminated (78.0%) source, followed by ‘brukina’ (54.0%), fried ‘wagashie’ (26.0%), left hand (12.0%) and right hand (8.0%). The prevalence of Escherichia coli in pasteurized milk and raw ‘wagashie’ was significantly higher (p = 0.003) than that of ‘brukina’, fried ‘wagashie’, left hand and right hand. Screening of 102 Escherichia coli isolates for their susceptible to antibiotics revealed that 49.0% were susceptible, 31.0% were resistant and 20.0% were intermediate to the various antibiotics post testing. Resistance to ampicillin (65.7%) was the highest, followed by erythromycin (61.8%). The Escherichia coli isolates were generally susceptible to ciprofloxacin (88.2%) and gentamicin (71.6%). The Escherichia coli isolates also exhibited 40 antibiotic resistance patterns with the pattern E (erythromycin) being the commonest. Twenty-nine 29 (28.4%) were resistant to three different classes of antibiotics, 20 (19.6%) were resistant to four different classes of antibiotics, 5 (4.9%) were resistant to five different classes of antibiotics and 1 (1.0%) was resistant to six different classes of antibiotics. The study revealed that milk, its products and handlers in the Tamale metropolis were contaminated with Escherichia coli which are resistant to a number of antibiotics.Keywords: Antibiotics, Escherichia coli, hands, milk, milk products, seller

The reproductive performance, growth rate and wastage in dairy and beef herds in the humid forest zone of Ghana

Reproductive performances of N'Dama and N'Dama x Friesian crossbreds at Baodi dairy and beef farm are investigated. Herd records were analysed to evaluate reproductive performance, growth rate and wastage of herd, from 1981 to 1990. The crossbreds out performed the pure line N'Dama in terms of calving intervals, calving percentage and the pattern of calving observed. Mortality rates were higher in the crossbreds than in the N'Dama. Most of the mortalities occurred in the first three months after birth

Effects of agricultural by-products as smoking fuels on the eating qualities of comminuted beef sausages

This study was carried out to assess the effects of alternative smoking fuel on the eating qualities of comminuted beef sausages. The sausages were produced with lean beef (2.5kg), minced, mixed with spices, chopped and stuffed into natural casings. They were five groups of sausages and each group was smoked with one of five fuel types: Sawdust (control, C), corn cobs (CC), groundnut pods (GNP), Soyabean residue (SBR) and rice husk (RH) for one hour, scalded, cooled and stored for assessment two days after production. The attributes assessed were colour, taste, flavour and texture of the smoked sausages. A five–point category scale was used for the evaluation. There were no significance differences among the fuel types for smoky flavour and texture but the colour and taste were significantly affected by the fuel types. The fuel types imparted a desirable brown or yellow colour and a moderate ‘smoky’ flavour in the sausages resulting in a pleasant taste. The alternative fuel exhibited different characteristic during the smoking process but have the potential for use in smoking comminuted beef sausages and could therefore serve as substitutes or supplementary fuel to the use of sawdust. The moistened GNP was observed to produce the best smoke among the fuel types. Key words: Smoking, fuel types, eating quality, beef sausage

Effect of “prekese” (Tetrapleura Tetraptera) seed powder on the sensory characteristics and nutritional qualities of pork sausage

This study was carried out to determine the effect of ‘prekese’ (Tetrapleura tetraptera) seed powder (PSP) on the sensory characteristics and nutritional qualities of smoke pork sausage. A total of 4kg of minced pork was used. The pork was divided into four equal parts (1kg per treatment). Each treatment contain the following: (T1) control (without PSP), (T2) with 3g of PSP, (T3) with 4g of PSP and (T4) with 5g of PSP. The sausages were stuffed into casing and vacuum sealed in transparent polythene bags and refrigerated at 2oC for laboratory and sensory analysis. The sensory analysis was conducted to determine the effect of ‘prekese’ seed powder on the sensory characteristics of the product. Crude fat, crude protein, moisture content and pH were determined to find out the effect of the seed powder on the nutritional qualities of the products. The results showed that, the inclusion of up to 5g of PSP has no significant effects on taste, colour, prekese flavour, aroma and overall-liking. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the crude fat of the products but there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in terms of moisture, crude protein and pH. Crude protein of T1, T3 and T4 were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than T2. The moisture content of T2 product was the highest followed by T4, T1 and T3. pH of the products T1, T2 and T3 were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than T4

Effect of prekese seed powder on the sensory characteristics and nutritional qualities of pork sausage

This study was carried out to determine the effect of ‘prekese’ (Tetrapleura tetraptera) seed powder (PSP) on the sensory characteristics and nutritional qualities of smoke pork sausage. A total of 4kg of minced pork was used. The pork was divided into four equal parts (1kg per treatment). Each treatment contain the following: (T1) control (without PSP), (T2) with 3g of PSP, (T3) with 4g of PSP and (T4) with 5g of PSP. The sausages were stuffed into casing and vacuum sealed in transparent polythene bags and refrigerated at 2oC for laboratory and sensory analysis. The sensory analysis was conducted to determine the effect of ‘prekese’ seed powder on the sensory characteristics of the product. Crude fat, crude protein, moisture content and pH were determined to find out the effect of the seed powder on the nutritional qualities of the products. The results showed that, the inclusion of up to 5g of PSP has no significant effects on taste, colour, prekese flavour, aroma and overall-liking. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the crude fat of the products but there were significant differences (P < 0.05) in terms of moisture, crude protein and pH. Crude protein of T1, T3 and T4 were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than T2. The moisture content of T2 product was the highest followed by T4, T1 and T3. pH of the products T1, T2 and T3 were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than T4