Carabeef good source of processed meat — study

Carabao meat as hamburger, sausage, tocino, and tapa?

Yes, says Florida P. Simo, a graduate (BS in Animal Science) of the Benguet State University (BSU) in La Trinidad, Benguet.

"Carabeef or meat of the carabao is actually a health food," she asserts in her study titled "Carabeef as Processed Product".

She adds: "The meat is safe to eat even by people with heart problems and those who are allergic to meat. It contains fewer calories, less fat and cholesterol than most meat, thus, considered as the ‘original health food’."

Tapa, which is ideally made from lean cow meat (beef), can also be made from carabeef, chevon, and pork.

In hamburger making, good quality carabeef is used as raw material, ground together with the fat. Salt and phosphate are added.

Simo says sausage from carabeef is accepted provided the meat is soaked before processing and the mixture should be blended thoroughly and allow curing in the refrigerator. The meat should be mixed to absorb the seasoning evenly.

In making tocino from carabeef, the curing ingredients are thoroughly mixed and the mixture is rubbed into each slice of meat. The meat is then arranged in a container or try and cured inside the refrigerator for two days.

"Tocino product can be pan-friend with moderate amount of heat and cooking oil," Simo advises.

She concludes: "Unlike other meats, carabeef has a unique binding quality, which does not change much even after it is processed. Carabeef is comparable in terms of biological and chemical characteristics, flavor, juiciness, tenderness, and general acceptability.

"The use of carabeef enables the meat processors to reduce the selling prices of canned meat products, which in turn benefits a large portion of the Philippine consumers."– RAF