Vol. 12, Special Issue 10 (2023)

Author(s):
SR Badhe, KS Rathod, SP Chaudhari, AP Dhok, SR Warke, Anupama Kumar and BL Mundhe

Abstract:
The aim of this study was to analyze the total microflora in aerobically packed Paneer stored under chiller conditions (4±1 °C) using chemical indicators of spoilage. Paneer samples were subjected to chiller storage and analyzed on alternate days, ranging from day 0 to day 8. Several chemical indicators, including pH, TBA (Thiobarbituric Acid), Tyrosin, TVBN (Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen), and Ammonia, were assessed. Total plate count, psychrophilic count, and pseudomonas count were also evaluated. In our findings, we observed a significantly positive correlation (p<0.01) between microbial and physicochemical parameters, except for pH. Notably, microbial parameters exhibited a strong positive correlation with TVBN and ammonia levels. The total plate count (TPC) demonstrated correlation coefficients of 0.815 and 0.833 with TVBN and ammonia, respectively. Psychrophilic count exhibited correlation coefficients of 0.804 and 0.789 with TVBN and ammonia, while pseudomonas count showed correlation coefficients of 0.803 and 0.789 with TVBN and ammonia, respectively. Based on these correlation coefficients for various physicochemical parameters, it becomes possible to predict the total plate count, psychrophilic count, and pseudomonas count in Paneer samples. This information is valuable for understanding the spoilage dynamics and quality assessment of refrigerated Paneer during storage.