Meatball Product from Pork Mixed with Water Chestnuts For Commercialization

Abstract

This research aimed to develop pork ball products by fortifying basic pork meatballs with modified starch and coarsely chopped cooked water chestnuts. The study investigated three ratios of modified starch to water chestnuts: 2:10, 3:20, and 4:30 percent, based on pork weight. Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) was conducted using a P/36R (36 mm) probe with a speed of 2.0 mm/min to measure hardness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness. The sensory evaluation results indicated that the formulation containing 2% modified starch and 10% water chestnuts was the most acceptable to consumers. This formula provided a soft texture that was not overly hard. In comparison, formulations with higher contents of modified starch and water chestnuts resulted in harder and stickier textures. Color analysis of the selected formula (A2) showed brightness (L*), redness (a*), and yellowness (b*) values of 65.70 ± 1.08, -0.55 ± 0.18, and 11.47 ± 0.53, respectively. Nutritional analysis per 100 grams of the pork balls mixed with coarsely chopped cooked water chestnuts revealed a composition of 9.42% carbohydrate, 8.17% protein, 67.41% fat, 2.04% dietary fiber, and a total energy value of 137.77 kcal.