Physical and chemical characteristics and acceptability of home style beef jerky

Properties of snack foods from comminuted, seasoned beef, dried under laboratory conditions at a temperature of 55 ± 2 °C were analyzed in this study. Samples were collected after 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 h of drying. The jerky products were evaluated by selected physicochemical and sensory methods. A significant influence of thermal treatment on the sample colour (L∗, a∗, b∗-values) was observed. Results of sensory examination of selected attributes of the analyzed product performed by a trained panel confirmed that dried snack products obtained from beef under non-commercial conditions had the most desirable texture attributes, i.e. high chewiness at such a dryness that the moisture-to-protein ratio (MPR) was 0.5. At this value tensile work was the largest (757.77 N × mm). Such a product is an attractive offer for those consumers who are willing to accept original, convenience products meeting at the same time their growing requirements concerning high organoleptic and nutritive value.