Quality and shelf life evaluation of pork nuggets incorporated with fermented bamboo shoot (Bambusa polymorpha) mince

•Pork nuggets were processed by incorporating fermented bamboo shoot mince.•We examine quality changes of nuggets during refrigeration temperature storage.•Addition of fermented bamboo shoot significantly reduced the proteolysis.•Addition of bamboo shoot improved the microbial and sensory attributes.•We report an increase of shelf life of products by two weeks at 8% FBSM addition.

Pork nuggets were processed by incorporating fermented bamboo shoot mince and their physico-chemical, microbiological and sensory characteristics were evaluated during 35 day storage at refrigeration temperature (4 ± 1 °C). Addition of fermented bamboo shoot significantly affects the pH, moisture, protein, fat, fiber, instrumental color values and texture profiles of nuggets, especially at 6% and 8% addition levels. Nuggets with 6% and 8% FBSM had significantly lower TBARS values at the end of the storage period (i.e. 0.39 and 0.33 mg malonaldehyde/kg respectively) compared to the control (0.84 mg malonaldehyde/kg). Bamboo shoot addition significantly improved the microbial and sensory qualities of the pork nuggets. Incorporation of fermented bamboo shoot at 8% level increased the shelf life of pork nuggets by at least two weeks i.e. from 21 days to 35 days at 4 ± 1 °C compared to the control.