*RajatBagdas,Santhosh V R, Lodhe P Digambar, PriyankaKar and S.Talukder
Abstract
The main objective of this article is to evaluate on consumers acceptance regarding the attributes of fresh meat, helps consumer to purchase them. It will also show current factors influencing consumer satisfaction and purchase intention for the selection of fresh meat from available varieties in the market. The meat quality characteristics such as how it looks, its color, texture, flavor and shelf life certainly influences the purchasing decisions of consumer. Furthermore these quality attributes of fresh meat is influenced by many of the factors, these are also going be briefed in the write-up.
Keywords: fresh meat, quality attributes, acceptability, consumer.
Introduction
Quality parameters are the driving force for proper marketing of any food products at the same time the acceptability of food items is often the main concern of any consumer because it is influenced by the food’s internal and external qualities. Among nonvegetarian food items meat constitute the major proportion in common Indian diet. As per the tradition most of the Indians still prefer to purchase hot processed fresh meat form the local retailers and cook them immediately and consume. The basic quality attributes of fresh meat of any of the specie origin has been defined and standardized and most of the meat consumers don’t have much of the ideas about those attribute. As meat quality and consistency are most important factor in ensuring consumer satisfaction, the common meat loving Indian should have a brief knowledge about those quality characters of healthy, hygienically processed and tasty meat. Traditionally, the set of properties used to defined the quality of meat intended for consumption as a whole, rather than meat products are those with our sensory perception; appearance, color, flavor, texture, (especially tenderness), juiciness/water holding capacity, and odor. The traditional quality factor normally expressed as freshness, or wholesomeness, relates to perception that meat is safe to eat, in terms of lack of pathogens, parasites, infections agents, or toxins. Although freedom from infections agents is an unseen quality, we associate it with “freshness”; meat that looks bad to us is always unacceptable.
Meat quality parameters and its judgment
Different intrinsic meat quality parameters could be seen, tasted, smelled, or felt are most important to judge meat at its point of purchase, or on consumption after cooking. But some extrinsic parameters gained a prominent position in the minds of current consumers but cannot immediately be detected by physical or sensory examination of the meat itself, but are associated with the way that the meat is produced. Like the animal welfare, the nutritional value of meat in human diet, and the ecological sustainability of production systems (Grunert, 2005).
Attributes influences and the preference of meat
Some consumers are more interested in the price of meat than its physical properties, but others are willing to pay more for the special properties of the meat. That’s why at each stage of the supply chain has its own definition of quality. Various consumers ask both for sensory and the nutritional qualities of the products that are safe to consume and therefore the quality is defined variously by different consumers according to their own personal preferences and goals (Kerry et al., 2002). The appearance characteristics of meat viz., color, fat content, marbling etc. are intrinsic quality signals that are closely related to consumers’ expectations of meat quality and their choice at the time of purchase. Traditionally, the set of properties used to define the quality of meat intended to be eaten as a whole meat rather than as a meat product has been related to our sensory perception; appearance, color, taste, texture (especially tenderness), juiciness/moisture retention and smell.
Fig: Consumer perceptions of meat quality represented as a “triangle of needs,” that is, that the more basic needs or desired quality elements at the bottom levels of the triangle need to be more or less satisfied before higher-level quality attributes become important.
(Source: Maslow, 1943)
Attributes influences and the preference of meat
Some consumers are more interested in the price of meat than its physical properties, but others are willing to pay more for the special properties of the meat. That’s why at each stage of the supply chain has its own definition of quality. Various consumers ask both for sensory and the nutritional qualities of the products that are safe to consume and therefore the quality is defined variously by different consumers according to their own personal preferences and goals (Kerry et al., 2002). The appearance characteristics of meat viz., color, fat content, marbling etc. are intrinsic quality signals that are closely related to consumers’ expectations of meat quality and their choice at the time of purchase. Traditionally, the set of properties used to define the quality of meat intended to be eaten as a whole meat rather than as a meat product has been related to our sensory perception; appearance, color, taste, texture (especially tenderness), juiciness/moisture retention and smell.
Fig: Consumer perceptions of meat quality represented as a “triangle of needs,” that is, that the more basic needs or desired quality elements at the bottom levels of the triangle need to be more or less satisfied before higher-level quality attributes become important.
Basic quality attributes of meat that influences acceptability
The quality attributes of meat acceptability is primarily related to the organoleptic measurements of color & appearance, texture, juiciness, flavor and tenderness, and the overall perception of meat. Tenderness and juiciness are attributes of meat quality that positively influence the preferences of most of the meat consumer.
- Color
The first characteristic of meat to be evaluated through the consumer who purchases meat is color; it is of utmost significance in particular for fresh meat at the retail level. The red shade of meat is because of the heme pigments contained in the muscle. The surface discoloration may be considered unwholesomeness and therefore not accepted by consumer. Myoglobin, one of the major pigment proteins within the sarcoplasm, is the principle pigment in meat, accounting for 90-95% of the total heme proteins. Hemoglobin, the major pigment in blood, is a minor contributor to the meat color. The myoglobin content of meat depends on a number of ante mortem factors, includes animal species and age, the physiological characteristic of the muscle, the diet of the animal, and the dietary regime. Meat from cattle, buffalo, goat & sheep contains more myoglobin and looks redder than pork and chicken. Meat from an older animal appears darker than from a younger animal; and fowl breast meat is lighter than its leg because of the similar reasons.
- Flavor
The flavor is the end result of the reaction of the olfactory (through nose) and taste (through tongue) receptors in the oral and nasal space of the consumer. This is due to the volatiles (aroma) and flavor-eliciting compounds, respectively. In meat, the flavor compounds generated from meat itself during its processing and cooking.
- Tenderness and texture
Tenderness and texture of meat is uniquely important to acceptability of meat and meat products. The tenderness in meat varies with species. According to one survey more than 75% of meats returned to a supermarket chain from buyers were due to problems related to unacceptable tenderness (Morgan, 1992). On the other hand the texture of meat the character of meat to be perceived during the chewing but this can also be seen by the eye, as the function of the size of the bundles of muscle fibers which are covered and separated from each other by covering sheath called perimysium. It has been observed that the coarse grained meat have larger muscle bundles and fine grained meat have smaller muscle bundles. Various factors determines the meat texture like the age of the animal, the type and the function of the muscle, gender of animal, and the managemental practice animal receives (Xiong et al., 1999).
- Juiciness
Meat juiciness is in part determined by the water holing capability of meat. This attributes contributes to the eating quality as well as play role in meat texture also. The juiciness of cooked meat may be separated into two effects, wetness during the first chew and sustained juiciness. Often juiciness is con- fused with tenderness of meat in that if a cut is quite juicy, a person thinks that it is quite tender. This is true to a certain extent since the more tender the meat is; the more quickly the juices are released upon chewing (Marchello and Dryden, 1968).
Conclusion
Different consumer has different preference for meat attributes and they pay price accordingly. Some consumer pays a high amount for the preferred meat cuts, while some don’t. The consumer acceptance and preference are not solely determined by the inputs of the meat itself, but can also be influenced by various demographic factors, cultural differences and preferences of consumers.
*Division of LPT, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, UP-243122
