The present study was conducted with an objective to improve the quality of duct meat nugget incorporated with elephant foot yam (EFY) flour at 2.5% (T1) and 5.0% (T2) and different quality parameters were studied as compared to control (without any EFY) on the day of processing. The moisture and protein contents of duck meat nuggets were significantly (P˂0.01) different between the groups. The control product showed significantly (P˂0.01) lowest and T2 showed highest protein content. The treated groups did not show any significant variation in fat and total ash contents of duck meat nuggets. Dietary fibre content of T2 was significantly (P>0.05) higher among the treatment groups. Total phenolic values of T1 and T2 were significantly (P>0.05) higher than control. There was a significant (P<0.01) effect of test ingredients on pH values of duck meat nuggets. The TBARS value of T2 was significantly lower than T1 and control. The treatment groups (T2 and T1) showed significantly (p<0.01) lower total plate counts (TPC) as compared to control. Except appearance, other sensory attributes were significantly higher (P˂0.01) in EFY incorporated duck meat nuggets compared to control. T2 T1 and showed highest score of overall acceptability as compared to control. The results concluded that incorporation of 2.5 % and 5.0% elephant foot yam flour improved the total protein content, dietary fibre content, physicochemical, microbiological qualities up to 12 days of refrigerated storage and but the nuggets were sensorially accepted and were on the border line of acceptance up to 9 days of refrigerated storage.

Highlights

• Incorporation at 2.5% and 5.0% elephant foot yam improved the sensory attributes of duck meat nuggets.
• Incorporation at 2.5% and 5.0% elephant foot yam improved the physicochemical and microbiological qualities of duck meat nuggets.