Dorota Kubiak

Quality of Meat ( Longissimus dorsi ) from Male Fallow Deer ( Dama dama ) Packaged and Stored under Vacuum and Modified Atmosphere Conditions

This study evaluated the effect of vacuum and modified atmosphere (40% CO2+60% N2, MA) packaging on the chemical composition, physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of chill-stored meat from 10 fallow deer (Dama dama) bucks at 17 to 18 months of age. The animals were hunter-harvested in the forests of north-eastern Poland. During carcass dressing (48 to 54 h post mortem), both musculus longissimus muscles were cut out. Each muscle was divided into seven sections which were allocated to three groups: 0, A, and B. Samples 0 were immediately subjected to laboratory analyses. Samples A were vacuum-packaged, and samples B were packaged in MA. Packaged samples were stored for 7, 14, and 21 days at 2°C. The results of the present study showed that the evaluated packaging systems had no significant effect on the quality of fallow deer meat during chilled storage. However, vacuum-packaged meat samples were characterised by greater drip loss. Vacuum and MA packaging contributed to preserving the desired physicochemical properties and sensory attributes of meat during 21 days of storage. Regardless of the packaging method used, undesirable changes in the colour, water-holding capacity and juiciness of meat, accompanied by tenderness improvement, were observed during chilled storage.

The Effect of Gender on Meat (Longissimus Lumborum Muscle) Quality Characteristics in the Fallow Deer Dama Dama L.)

The aim of this study was to determine the quality of meat (Longissimus lumborum muscle) from male (11 bucks) and female (10 does) fallow deer (Dama dama L.) aged 17-18 months, hunter-harvested in north-eastern Poland during one hunting season. Muscle samples collected from the carcasses of male fallow deer were characterized by a higher (P≤0.01) content of dry matter, protein, fat and energy, and a lower (P≤0.01) water/protein ratio than male counterparts. An analysis of the fatty acid profile revealed that the intramuscular fat of male fallow deer contained higher concentrations of C12:0, C20:0, C18:2 and C20:1 fatty acids (P≤0.01), and C16:1, C18:1 and C18:3 fatty acids (P≤0.05), whereas the intramuscular fat of female fallow deer contained higher levels of C16:0 and C17:1 fatty acids (P≤0.01), and C14:0, C17:0 and C20:4 fatty acids (P≤0.05), and higher (P≤0.01) amounts of saturated fatty acids. The fat extracted from the carcasses of bucks had a higher (P≤0.01) ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids. An analysis of the physicochemical properties of meat indicated that samples of the Longissimus lumborum muscle collected from the carcasses of male fallow deer were characterized by a lower (P≤0.01) pH and greater (P≤0.01) drip loss, and their colour had a higher (P≤0.01) contribution of redness, yellowness, and higher saturation. The effect of gender on meat quality was also confirmed by a sensory analysis, in which meat from bucks received higher scores for juiciness (P≤0.05), and meat from does for tenderness (P≤0.01).

The Effect of Long-Term Frozen Storage on the Quality of Meat (Longissimus thoracis et Lumborum) from Female Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus L.)

The objective of this study was to determine the quality of meat (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum) from 10 female roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.), which was vacuum-packaged, frozen-stored (−26°C) for 6, 10, and 12 months, and compared with fresh, nonfrozen meat. Roe deer (aged 3 to 5 years) were hunter-harvested in north-eastern Poland in December and January during the same hunting season. Frozen storage did not affect the proximate chemical composition of meat (except for ash content). An analysis of the physicochemical properties of meat revealed that frozen-stored meat was characterized by a darker color, a higher hue angle, lower ability to bind its own and added water, and lower cooking loss compared with nonfrozen meat. The values noted for meat samples that were stored in the freezer for 12 months (increase in pH, considerable decrease in water-holding capacity, and first symptoms of flavor deterioration) indicate that frozen roe deer meat should be stored for no more than 10 to 12 months to maintain its high quality.