STANDARDIZATION OF SPICES FOR PREPARATION OF CHICKEN CURRY

Dr. Deogade Ashish Haridas

Department of Livestock Products Technology,
College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Parbhani-431402 (MS)

Abstract

Considering the scope of utilization of chicken in convenience form and potential

application of hurdle technology for preservation of meat products a study was

undertaken to standardize spice mixture (salt and commercial chicken masala levels) to

prepare chicken curry. Fresh chicken pieces washed with clean water, dipped in 2% acetic

acid and rewashed with clean water were kept in marinating mixtures containing Citric

acid as acidulants, with addition of potassium sorbate and water for 20 h at 4+ 10C. After

cooking and dehydration for 2 hrs at 600C, hot spice mixture was added. The sensory

quality of ready to eat chicken curry was evaluated using 8 Point Hedonic scale, after

boiling the dehydrated samples for 15 min. Sensory quality revealed that Flavour,

Juiciness, Texture and Overall palatability scores of chicken curry improved significantly

using 3.0 % salt level as compared to 2.5, 3.5 and 4.0 %. Spice mixture containing 1.0 %

commercial chicken masala showed significantly higher scores for all the sensory

attributes, indicating that spice mixture containing 3.0 % salt and 1.0 % commercial

chicken masala was more suitable for improving the quality of chicken curry.

Keywords: Spice mixture, commercial chicken masala, chicken curry, sensory quality
* Corresponding author, Prof. & Head, Dept. of LPT, COVAS, Parbhani- 431 402 (M.S.)

 Introduction:

The demand for processed meat products is ever increasing with growing

consumer’s response and awareness about the nutrition and quality as well as due to fast

industrialization, urbanization and increase in per capita income coupled with population

growth. Poultry meat is comparatively more acceptable than other meat because of its

flavour, ease of digestion, low fat content, high ratio of unsaturated fatty acids and also

due to excellent source of protein (Narayankhedkar, 2004). The products that are

prepared from meat are highly perishable primarily due to increased microbial activity.

To overcome the spoilage particularly during storage, the processed products could be

prepared through an innovative technology such as Hurdle technology, which can be

effectively utilized to develop meat products at cheaper and affordable price.

In our country, the traditional meat products are having special value and meat

curry is one of them which is consumed in rural area as well as in urban sector. Spices

and condiments one of the hurdle used for preparation of chicken curry not only impart

aroma, taste and colour to the meat products but also have better antimicrobial and

antioxidant properties. Effects of natural plants and spice extracts were investigated by

many researchers to prevent rancidity in food products (Watts, 1962; Pratt and Watts,

1964; MacNeil et al., 1973). Common salt, which serve as humectants for preservation

(Leistner and Rodel, 1976; Kim and Park, 1981; Ledward, 1992 and Miller, 1992) as well

as impart taste and affect texture of meat products by affecting the proximate composition

of meat products. Sofos (1985) reported that fat content of meat products was not affected

by the level of sodium chloride (1.1 to 2.3%) but the moisture content was lowered in the

product containing low sodium chloride (1.1%). Therefore, the present study was planned

for standardization of spice mixture, which is previously used by Das, and Radhakrishna

(2001) for mutton chunks and Rathod (2005) for chicken curry.

Materials and Methods:

Fresh chicken meat was washed with clean water and dipped in 2% acetic acid

solution for 3 minutes to reduce surface contamination of micro organisms and again

washes with clean water. Boneless chicken pieces of size of 2cm x 1cm x 1cm were kept

in marinating mixture containing citric acid 0.2%, potassium sorbate 0.05% and water

2.5% on fresh meat weight basis for 20 hours at 4+ 10C. Chicken curry was prepared as

shown in flow chart. Rrecipe for shelf stable spice preparation as formulated by Rathod

(2005) for chicken curry were tried with certain modifications for preparation of spice

mixture (Table 1).

Table 1 Spice mixture (curry ingredients) for preparation of chicken curry.

Sr. No. Ingredients Percent (On fresh meat
weight)
1 Dalda 5.60
2 Sunflower oil 10.00
3 Chilli powder 1.10
4 Turmeric powder 0.45
5 Coriander powder 0.55
6 Cumin powder 0.55
7 Black pepper powder 0.12
8 Cinnamon powder 0.17
9 Clove powder 0.11

 10 Large cardamom powder 0.17

11 Small cardamom powder 0.17
12 Common salt Variable
13 Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) 0.01
14 Commercial chicken masala Variable
15 Onion 28.00
16 Ginger 4.20
17 Garlic 4.30

Table 2. Standardization of salt levels for preparation of ready to eat chicken curry
Levels of Sensory attributes
salt Overall
(%) Appearance Flavour Juiciness Texture
Palatability
2.5 7.59a +0.09 7.15a +0.09 7.31a +0.08 7.09c +0.08 7.09c +0.09
3.0 7.78a +0.07 7.75b +0.08 7.62b +0.09 7.62b +0.09 7.62b +0.09
3.5 7.18b +0.08 7.00ac+0.11 6.93c +0.11 6.84ac +0.10 6.93ac +0.10
4.0 7.21b +0.11 6.81c +0.09 6.65c+0.10 6.75a+0.11 6.78a+0.12

SE + 0.09 0.09 0.09 0.09 0.10

CD 0.25 0.25 0.26 0.27 0.28
Means+ S.E with different superscripts in a column differs significantly (P<0.05).

Table 3. Standardization of Commercial chicken masala levels for preparation of

ready to eat chicken curry
Levels of Sensory attributes
Chicken
Appearance Flavour Juiciness Texture Overall
masala (%)
Palatability
0.5 7.62a+0.10 7.29a+0.09 7.25a+0.09 7.33a+0.10 7.25a+0.09

 1.0 7.87b+0.07 7.71b+0.09 7.75b+0.09 7.66b+0.10 7.83b+0.08

1.5 7.04a+0.15 6.60ac+0.14 6.50c+0.10 6.75c+0.10 6.54c+0.10

SE +
CD
Means+ S.E with different superscripts in a column differs significantly (P<0.05).

Mean values are scores on 8-point descriptive scale.

Flow diagram for preparation of Hurdle treated Chicken curry

.
Fresh chicken carcass

Washing

Dipping in 2% acetic acid solution for 3 min.

Washing with potable water

Deboning and cutting into small pieces

Marinating at 4+1oC for 20 hrs.

Cooking (under steam for 10 min.)

Dehydration at 600C for 2 hours

Addition of hot spice mixture

Curry preparation

Served hot to sensory panel

 Sensory quality of ready to eat chicken curry was judged by a semitrained panel

for sensory attributes viz. appearance, flavour, texture, juiciness and overall palatability

using 8 point descriptive scale (Keeton, 1983), where ‘8’ denoted extremely desirable and

‘1’ denoted extremely undesirable. The data obtained during the study was subjected to

statistical analysis using Completely Randomized Design (CRD) and Factorial CRD

(Snedecor and Cochran, 1989).

Results and Discussion:

Standardization of salt levels for preparation of chicken curry

The average scores for sensory attributes of chicken curry incorporated with salt

levels (2.5, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 % by weight) are presented in Table 2.

Results showed significant improvement in all the sensory attributes except

appearance with increase in salt level upto 3.0 per cent. Sensory scores for appearance

revealed nonsignificant variations upon use of salt levels upto 3 per cent. Thereafter, with

increase in levels of salt downward trend was noticed in flavour, juiciness, texture and

overall palatability scores. Maximum scores for all the attributes were recorded for

chicken curry prepared with 3.0 per cent salt followed by 2.5 per cent. Both the

treatments were at par for appearance score but for flavour, texture and overall

palatability scores, 3.0 per cent salt level as significantly superior over 2.5 per cent.

Subsequent increase in salt level from 3.0 to 4.0 per cent showed significant decline in

sensory scores for all the attributes. It is further observed that use of 3.0 per cent salt in

 chicken curry recorded optimum sensory scores of 7.78, 7.75, 7.62, 7.62 and 7.62 for

appearance, flavour, juiciness, texture and overall palatability which were significantly

superior over other salt levels viz, 3.5 and 4.0 per cent. Wide variations in use of salt

levels during preparation of chicken curry were reported by several workers. Sumithra

(1999) reported 2.0 % salt as optimum in the formulation of instant mutton curry, while

Das and Radhakrishna (2001) and Rathod (2005) recommended optimum level of 2.2 %

salt for the preparation of ready to eat mutton and chicken curry respectively with further

addition of 2.0 % salt during in marinades. The variations in use of salt during the

preparation of product might be due to its processing conditions and / or personal

preference (Pearson and Tauber, 1984).

Since the scores for all the sensory attributes of chicken curry prepared with 3.0

% salt were optimum, this particular level of salt was selected and used for the

preparation of chicken curry in the present study.

Standardization of commercial chicken masala levels for preparation of chicken

curry

The data on the effect of three commercial chicken masala levels (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5

%) on sensory quality of hurdle processed chicken curry are presented in Table 3.

It is observed that the sensory scores were maximum for all the sensory attributes

of chicken curry prepared by using 1.0 % commercial chicken masala as compared to

that of 0.5 and 1.5 %. Sensory scores increased significantly with increase in commercial

chicken masala level from 0.5 to 1.0 % but thereafter it showed a decline trend for all the

attributes. It might be because of excess concentration of spices. Use of 1.0 per cent

 commercial chicken masala in chicken curry recorded optimum sensory scores of 7.87,

7.71, 7.75, 7.66 and 7.83 for appearance, flavour, juiciness, texture and overall

palatability respectively. Similar observation were recorded by Das and Radhakrishna

(2001) and Rathod (2005) for the preparation of ready to eat mutton and chicken curry

respectively and recommended optimum level of commercial chicken masala level is 1.0

%.

On the basis of variation in sensory profile it can be concluded that, 3.0 % salt and

1.0 % commercial chicken masala level found to be optimum over other level.

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