1st International Research Conference on Science,

Technology, Education and Management (IRCSTEM)

Title CHARACTERIZATION OF UNSOLD LECHON AS RAW

MATERIAL FOR RETORT PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Author/s CORTES, JENNILOU G., Bustamante, Hilaria, Ph.D.; Membrebe, Bernard
Niño Q.; Patindol, Mark Rembert M.; Bagarinao, Jomer D.; and Aldaba,
Joann M.
Affiliation/s EVSU – Collaborative Research and Development to Leverage Philippine
and Email Economy (CRADLE) Funded Project
Address Eastern Visayas State University – Main Campus, Tacloban City, Leyte,
Philippines 6500
(E-mail: jennilou.cortes@evusu.edu.ph; hilaria.bustamante@evsu.edu.ph;
bernardnino.membrebe@evsu.edu.ph; markrembert.patindol@evsu.edu.ph;
jombagarinao02@gmail.com; aldabajoann@gmail.com)

Abstract

Unsold Lechon of producers in Tacloban City reaches up to 200 kilograms, which

necessitates a reworking process in order to prevent wastage, additional cost of
storage and eventually profit loss. However, its characterization as a raw material
needs to be conducted first in order to understand various properties, which would
lead to the establishment of a suitable process and product formulation. The study
objectives were to conduct an industry immersion and market assessment, and
determine the physicochemical, microbial, and organoleptic properties of unsold
lechon. The industry immersion exposed the need for improvement of food safety
practices of the food handlers and revealed that the head, ham, butt and picnic
shoulder to be the typically unsold parts. In terms of its physicochemical properties,
the unsold lechon are near neutral in pH and had high water activity and moisture
content, which indicate susceptibility to microbial proliferation. Varying crude fat and
crude protein levels specify that meat and fat ratio should be included as variables
in the product development stage. Meanwhile, microbial analysis revealed high
microbial load with possibility of toxin production; time series evaluation identifying
sample collection to be before 4:00 pm, and freeze-thaw cycle recommending to
store samples at <-18oC for not more than 48 hours. Quantitative Descriptive
Analysis showed that pre-treatments of raw materials is not necessary with the
identified important sensory descriptors through factor and principal component
analysis. Lastly, market assessment showed that lechon paksiw is the preferred
product to be developed with market potential of 6.01kgs/household per annum.

Characterization, Industry Immersion, Lechon, Microbiological,

Keywords
Market Assessment