Factors Affecting the Consumption of Traditional Food in Tourism-Perceptions of the Management Sector of Catering Facilities

The topic of this study is the factors that influence the consumption of traditional food products (TFPs) in tourism, as seen from the perspective of management-sector employees in food and beverage catering facilities. The paper aims to analyse the economic, environmental, social, and touristic factors that highly influence the consumption patterns of catering facilities which are significant providers of traditional gastronomic experiences in tourism, by using the specially designed TFPct scale. The study was conducted on a sample of 300 catering facilities in AP Vojvodina (the Republic of Serbia). An explanatory factor analysis was used to confirm the key factors that influence the consumption of traditional products used to prepare the meals that are a part of what catering facilities offer. Subsequently, a binary logistics regression model was used to establish which of the indicated factors has a statistically significant effect on the management's decision to purchase these products for their catering facility. The study showed that the TFPct scale is appropriate for this type of research, and that economic factors are key factors in the consumption of traditional products. Moreover, compared with other types of catering facilities, interest in the consumption of these products is clearly expressed by a la carte restaurants.

Evaluation of the physicochemical, biochemical and microbiological characteristics of three Serbian traditional dry-fermented sausages

Three Serbian traditional dry-fermented sausages, Sremski kulen (S), Lemeški kulen (L) and Petrovačka kobasica (P), were compared for physicochemical, biochemical and microbiological properties, in order to provide complex overview of their quality and safety. The sausages were produced and analyzed within two production seasons in traditional practice. Water activity, color, texture and proximate composition varied significantly (P < 0.05), particularly due to moisture, protein and fat content, what indicated differences in basic formulation of raw sausage mixture, type of casing and some technological procedures. Based on the fatty acid profile the most favorable PUFA/SFA ratio was obtained in sausage P (0.68), while the obtained results for acid value (15.2-22.4 mg KOH/g lipid) and TBARS value (0.27-0.55 mg malondialdyde/kg) indicated low level of lipid degradation and oxidation in all samples. Regarding the microbial and biogenic amines (BA) analysis, positive outcome of this research is the total absence of all pathogenic microorganisms examined, while the registered levels of BA showed a great variability among the sausages. In particular, total BA content in L attained level that is approx. 50% higher than the recommended one. Hence, special care should be implemented regarding the future production and consumption of this type of sausage. Overall results of this study may be useful to define complete distinctive features of these sausages, to determine relations among them, as well as to improve some phases of traditional manufacturing process.

Sodium chloride and nitrite contents in canned meat in pieces from the Serbian market

Canned meat in pieces (CM) is a group of meat products widely consumed by children and consumers with special diet regimes, due to high protein and low fat content. In this study safety of these products regarding sodium chloride and nitrite contents was examined in total of 19 meat samples produced by 14 most represented meat processors on Serbian market. The statement about high protein and low fat content in CM for products from the Serbian market was confirmed. The products made from chicken meat ("Pileća prsa", protein 12.4 to 17.4 g/100 g; fat 0.92 to 3.84 g/100 g) had higher protein and lower fat content that the products made from pork ("Pizza šunka", protein 11.5 to 14.3 g/100 g; fat 4.61 to 14.4 g/100 g). In the group "Pileća prsa" 90.91% of samples had sodium chloride content below 1.5 g/100 g, while in the group "Pizza šunka", 75% of samples had sodium chloride content lower than 1.5 g/100g. Residual nitrite content in product "Pileća prsa" ranged from 0.62 to 20.7 mg/kg and in product "Pizza šunka" this content ranged from 3.27 to 19.2 mg/kg. These results indicate that all analysed samples were below the required limits of nitrite content. According to the results obtained in this study, children and consumers with special diet regimes are free to consume Serbian meat products in the type of CM considering the contents of protein and fat, as well as sodium chloride and nitrite residue.

Coriander essential oil as natural food additive improves quality and safety of cooked pork sausages with different nitrite levels

The effect of coriander essential oil (CEO) at concentrations of 0.075-0.150 μL/g on pH, color, lipid oxidation (TBARS), residual nitrite concentration and microbial growth of cooked pork sausages produced with different levels of sodium nitrite (0, 50 and 100 mg/kg) was investigated. Artificial neural networks modeling and the multi-response optimization were used to determine the optimal combinations of process parameters and storage time. Reduced concentration of sodium nitrite (60 mg/kg) in combination with 0.12 μL/g of CEO resulted in satisfying redness (a* approx. 11.1) and improved oxidative (TBARS approx. 0.12 mg MDA/kg) and microbial stability (total plate count - TPC approx. 2.50 Log CFU/g) of cooked pork sausages during refrigerated storage. Therefore, the results of this paper revealed significant antioxidative and antimicrobial activity of CEO, and consequently its high potential of utilization in processing of cooked pork sausages with enhanced quality and shelf-life.

INVESTIGATION OF QUANTITY AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF BIGHEAD CARP (Aristichthys nobilis) BY-PRODUCTS

Bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) successfully grow in polyculture with carp, feeding on plankton. It has good quality of meat for both consumption and industrial processing. Th e quantity of by-products obtained during primary processing of bighead carp and chemical characteristics of internal organs were investigated in this paper. Th e total average weight of by-products was 760.45 g (42.31%) in relation to live body weight, whichwas cca 1797.5 g. Th e by-product contributing to the largest quantity to total live body weight was the head with 529.39 g (29.45% of live bodyweight), followed by complete internal organs and tail and fi ns, which weighed 137.67 g (7.66%) and 68.82 g (3.83%), respectively Chemical composition of internal organs of bighead carp was mostly water (60.99%), following by crude fats and crude proteins (21.20% and 10.61%, respectively). The low collagen content (15.25% of total crude protein) indicates the high nutritional quality of protein content from internal organs. Nitrogenous complexes from the internal organs were predominantly proteins. Digestible nitrogen was approximately equal to total nitrogen (92.04%), indicating that all proteins of the internal organs had high biological value. Based on the results obtained, it can be concluded that bighead carp internal organs could be important sources of proteins and fats, and thus, could be used in Serbia as a raw material for feed and technical fat production.

EFFECT OF FREEZING-THAWING AND MARINATION TIME ON COOKED CHICKEN BREAST MEAT QUALITY

Marination is oft en used to improve the yield and quality of chicken breast fi llets. Th e eff ects of freezing-thawing prior to marination and marination holding time on the instrumental and sensory properties of cooked marinated chicken fi llets were investigated. Fillets were marinated fresh or stored at -18oC and then thawed prior to marination (frozen-thawed). Fillets were soaked in marinade for 1.5 h and 20 h and then cooked at 175oC for 45 minutes for determination of cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force, color properties, juiciness and sensory properties. Marinade uptake was greater in fi llets marinated for 20 h, both fresh and frozen-thawed, than in fi llets marinated for 1.5 h. Cooking loss was lowest for fresh unmarinated fi llets (19.30%) and signifi cantly lower (P < 0.05) comparing to frozenthawed fi llets marinated for 20 h (44.73%). Th e highest numerical value of color parameter lightness was found in fresh fi llet marinated for 1.5 h. There were no signifi cant diff erences between all examined fi llets regarding color properties redness and yellowness. Th e fi llets marinated for 20 h, both fresh and frozen-thawed were found to be signifi cantly more tender (P < 0.05) as indicated by lower shear force values (13.96 N and 12.88 N, respectively) and higher sensory scores for tenderness (7.00 and 6.50, respectively) as compared to other investigated fi llets. Furthermore, fresh fi llets marinated for 20 h had the highest mark for the overall sensory acceptability (95.00% of maximum quality).

Quality traits of <i>longissimus lumborum</i> muscle from White Mangalica, Duroc × White Mangalica and Large White pigs reared under intensive conditions and slaughtered at 150 kg live weight: a comparative study

Abstract. To compare quality traits of longissimus lumborum muscle of three genotypes, 20 White Mangalica (WM), 20 crossbred Duroc  ×  White Mangalica (DWM) and 20 Large White (LW) pigs were allotted to the same indoor rearing and feeding conditions. Crossbred and LW pigs grew faster than WM pigs reaching 150 kg on average 168 and 288 days before WM, respectively. Meat from WM pigs had the highest intramuscular fat content and darkest and reddest colour; crosses were at an intermediate position, with significant differences among all genotypes. In addition, ultimate pH, water-holding capacity and iron content were significantly the highest in meat from WM pigs, compared to the other two genotypes. Crossing WM with Duroc had a significant effect on individual fatty acid content of meat. However, the sum of saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids remained unchanged. WM and DWM pigs had significantly more tender meat than LW pigs. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) were most abundant, followed by saturated (SFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in meat from all animals. Meat from WM and DWM pigs had a significantly higher percentage of MUFAs and significantly lower percentage of SFAs than LW pigs.

Proximate composition, cholesterol concentration and lipid oxidation of meat from chickens fed dietary spice addition (Allium sativum, Piper nigrum, Capsicum annuum)

The effects of supplementing spices, including garlic, black pepper and hot red pepper, in broiler chicken diet on proximate composition, cholesterol content and lipid oxidation of breast and thigh with drumstick meat, skin and liver were investigated. Meat proximate composition included measurements of moisture, protein, fat and ash content. Cholesterol content of tissue homogenates was performed by high-performance liquid chromatography–DAD analyses, while lipid oxidation of white and red meat, as well as liver, was expressed as a concentration of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) (mg malondialdehyde (MDA)/kg tissue). For biological research, eight treatments with a total of 1200 broiler chickens of hybrid line Hubbard were formed, with four replicates. In the control treatment, the chickens were fed with commercial mixtures of standard composition and quality based on corn flour and soybean meal. Experimental treatments were fed with the same commercial mixtures, except with addition of spices. At the end of the experiment and on the basis of gained results, it can be concluded that the chickens in experimental treatments with hot red pepper achieved statistically significantly (P < 0.05) higher final body masses (2460.6 and 2442.4 g) than did the chickens in the control and other treatments. Black pepper showed a positive and significant (P < 0.05) influence on improving the protein content in breast meat (24 g/100 g), hot red pepper lowered the cholesterol concentrations in meat (24.7 g/100 g in red meat), skin (87.4 g/100 g) and liver (263.1 g/100 g), while black pepper significantly (P < 0.05) reduced lipid oxidation in breast (0.05 mg MDA/kg tissue) and thigh with drumstick (0.12 mg MDA/kg tissue). On the basis of obtained findings, it can be concluded that the dietary spice herbs had a positive influence on a proximate composition of chicken meat, cholesterol concentrations and lipid oxidation process.