EFFECT OF USING MORINGA SEED EXTRACT TO TENDERIZE LONGISSIMUS MUSCLE OF INDONESIAN NATIVE GOATS

Tenderness is one of meat's most important quality parameters in consumer perceptions. The tenderness of meat depends on various pre- and post-slaughter factors. The production of consistently tender meat is required to retain consumer confidence in red meat. Plant proteases offer a natural alternative to chemical tenderizers, aligning with consumer preferences for clean-label products without artificial additives. M. oleifera is highly nutritious and contains essential amino acids, vitamins, and phenolic compounds, and several studies have investigated the M. oleifera protein's enzymatic properties and found that it contains proteolytic enzymes. This study aimed to assess the effect of adding moringa seed extract on the tenderization of goat meat (Longissimus thoracis pars lumborum), where the extraction of M. oleifera seed extract was performed using 20 g of moringa seeds with 60 mL of distilled water. The meat was marinated in the extract, with each sample consisting of 100g of goat meat and 60ml of seed extract, and left in the refrigerator at 4°C for different periods (2-, 24-, and 46-hours marination T1, T2, and T3, respectively, with T0 as the control without any additives). PH, texture profile analysis, color, and cooking loss were measured. The results show significant differences between the pH of the control and the treated samples, with no significant differences in pH among the treated samples, as within the normal range that promotes tenderness without an adverse effect. Moringa seed extract increased the cooking loss value in treated samples compared with the control. There was also a significant effect on the texture profile, where a decrease in hardness, chewiness, toughness, and firmness was observed after two hours of marinating, which increased with longer marinating times of 24 and 46 hours. There was a significant difference between the control and the other treated samples in lightness and yellowness, as all treated samples exhibited an increase in lightness and a decrease in yellowness compared to the control. The effect of redness was not substantial in the control and 24- and 46-hour groups. However, the 2-hour group showed a significant difference compared to the control and the 24- and 46-hour groups. The results indicate that moringa seed extract can improve tenderness, with a 2-hour treatment showing the most positive outcomes for several textural characteristics, suggesting it could be a valuable natural tenderizer. Further research is needed into the optimal duration and amount required to tenderize meat without adverse effects.