3rd TAGRA

Gulazik is a traditional meat-based food prepared from meat, kurut (dried fermented curd), and talkan (roasted grain flour). This study investigated the effects of meat species (beef, horsemeat, and mutton) and oven-drying temperatures (50 °C, 75 °C, and 100 °C) on the physicochemical quality attributes and lipid oxidation dynamics of standardized Gulazik formulations containing 65% dried meat, 10% kurut, and 25% talkan. Dry matter content and water activity ranged from 93.03% to 95.11% and from 0.33 to 0.38, respectively, with drying temperature significantly affecting both parameters. All aw values remained below 0.60, indicating low susceptibility to microbial growth. pH values ranged from 5.58 to 6.12, with horsemeat dried at 100 °C exhibiting the lowest value (5.58), while titratable acidity ranged from 0.26% to 0.45%. Color analysis showed a significant decline in lightness (L: 43.49 – 60.60) with increasing temperature, likely associated with Maillard reaction and myoglobin denaturation. Redness (a) values remained near neutral, whereas yellowness (b*: 22.74 – 31.51) dominated the visual profile. Mutton samples had the highest crude fat content (14.21 – 16.99%),with lower values observed at 100 °C, whereas the fat content of beef and horsemeat samples increased with temperature, likely due to moisture loss. Horsemeat exhibited the highest lipid oxidation, with thiobarbituric acid substances (TBARS) values reaching 5.23 mg MDA/kg at 50 °C. The lower TBARS values observed at 100 °C may reflect malondialdehyde loss or its involvement in secondary reactions, including interactions with Maillard reaction products and proteins. Overall, meat species and drying temperature significantly influenced the physicochemical quality and oxidative stability of Gulazik. The low water activity achieved across all treatments indicates favorable conditions for microbiological stability, while the marked differences in lipid oxidation among meat species and drying temperatures highlight the importance of optimizing processing conditions to maintain product quality.