Arija: A himalayan ethnic meat product formulated with meat by-products and barnyard millet flour

The study aimed to assess the quality characteristics of Arija, a traditional Himalayan meat product formulated with goat meat by-products (GBP) (liver, heart, and spleen) and barnyard millet flour (BMF). Three levels of GBP viz., T1 (5%), T2 (10%), and T3 (15%) and BMF, viz., T1 (2%), T2 (4%), and T3 (6%) were used in the formulation of Arija by replacing lean meat. Arija without GBP and BMF served as control (C). Significant increase (P<0.05) in cooking yield (81.40 to 87.00%), emulsion stability (83.07 to 91.30%), pH (6.33 to 6.79) and water activity (0.86 to 0.89) was recorded with the increasing levels of GBP from 5 to 15% and BMF from 2 to 6%. Further, moisture (60.80 to 63.18%), fat (12.25 to 13.52%) and ash (2.47 to 2.86%) contents of Arija increased significantly (P<0.05) with the addition of GBP from 5 to 15% and BMF from 2 to 6%, while protein (21.19 to 18.98%), carbohydrate (3.29 to 1.47%) and energy (196.01 to 189.94 Kcal/100 g) contents decreased significantly (P<0.05). Appearance, texture, and juiciness were significantly (P<0.05) higher in T2 than C, T1 and T3. In conclusion, based on appearance, texture and overall acceptability, the inclusion of 10% GBP and 4% BMF (T2) could be an effective method for the preparation of Arija.