Nutritional, physicochemical, and sensory evaluation of dambu-nama, a traditional shredded meat product, produced from camel meat, chevon, and pork

This study evaluated the nutritional, physicochemical, and sensory qualities of dambu-nama produced from camel meat, chevon, and pork using three processing methods: boiled only (20 min at 100 °C), boiled then fried (soybean oil, 180 °C, ~20 min), and boiled then oven-dried (120 °C). Fresh samples (8 kg) from each meat type were analysed for proximate composition and physicochemical properties; final products were assessed for proximate, mineral, vitamin, and sensory attributes, in a completely randomized design (CRD), 3 × 3 factorial arrangement. Fresh camel meat exhibited the highest (P < 0.05) amount of protein (21.71 %), moisture (71.69 %), ash (2.16 %), calcium (9.70 mg/100g), potassium (274.50 mg/100g), and vitamins B₁₂ (2.32 mg/100g), B₂ (0.57 mg/100g), and D (0.87 mg/100g). Boiled-then-oven-dried chevon had the highest protein overall (P < 0.05; 58.47 %), followed closely by boiled camel dambu-nama (58.12 %), while fried pork dambu-nama had the lowest protein (22.45 %). Generally, the boiled products obtained higher ether extract, while the fried products obtained lower protein content (P < 0.05). Sensory evaluation revealed that pork dambu-nama obtained the highest score for juiciness (6.85) and overall acceptability (7.20). Overall, chevon and pork dambu-nama exhibit nutritional and eating qualities comparable to camel dambu-nama.