Evaluation Method for the Curing Effect of Donkey Hide

This study developed rapid method for evaluating the curing effect of donkey hide based on conductivity and Baumé degree analysis of the extract liquor from salted donkey hide. The experiment results demonstrated that conductivity and Baumé degree accurately reflected salt content and served as reliable predictors of moisture content and water activity, microbial growth, and protein deterioration in salted donkey hide. A strong positive correlation (R²＞0.95) was observed between the conductivity and Baumé degree in the extract liquor and the salt content in salted donkey hide, while a negative correlation (R²＞0.81) was found with moisture content and water activity, microbial growth, and protein deterioration. When the conductivity in the extract liquor exceeded 40.7 mS/cm and the Baumé degree surpassed 2.6 °Bé, water activities below 0.75 were achieved during storage, effectively inhibiting microbial growth and maintaining a total bacterial colony count below 1×10⁵ CFU/g. Consequently, proteins were well-preserved after 4 months of storage, indicating efficient curing of the donkey hide.