M.V. Sarriés

Carcass characteristics, meat quality and nutritional value of horsemeat: A review

Meat has exerted a crucial role in human evolution and is an important component of a healthy and well balanced diet due to its nutritional richness. The aim of the present review was to shed light on the nutritional composition of horsemeat and their benefits for human health. One of the reasons for such interest was the occurrence, in Europe several years ago, of dioxin, Bovine Encephalopathy and foot-and-mouth disease problems in farm animals. Therefore, consumers began to look for alternative red meats from other non-traditional species. There is no carcass classification system on horses designated to meat consumption. It would be advisable to standardize the equine meat market to reduce variations that may reflect differences in meat quality. The nutritional composition of horsemeat by comparison with pork, beef or poultry is characterized by low levels of fat and cholesterol (about 20% less), relatively high concentrations of n-3 fatty acids and heme iron indicating that its consumption may be beneficial for health. Therefore, horsemeat may supplement the meat market with good quality products, although as in other dietary components moderation is advisable.

The effects of olive oil emulsified alginate on the physico-chemical, sensory, microbial, and fatty acid profiles of low-salt, inulin-enriched sausages

This paper examines variations in the quality of low-salt, inulin enriched Pamplona-style chorizo, in which some of the pork back fat was replaced with olive oil. Four different sausage formulations were prepared in which 50% of the pork back fat was replaced with olive oil emulsified with alginate and 58% of the sodium chloride was replaced with 20% potassium chloride and 38% calcium chloride. Four lots were prepared, three with 3%, 6% and 10% proportions of added inulin were labeled O-I 3%, O-I 6% and O-I 10%, respectively; while one, lot O, was without inulin. These four formulations were compared with a control manufactured according to the traditional formula using pork back fat. The various lots were tested for proximate analysis, pH, processing loss, water activity, lactic acid bacteria, Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, physico-chemical composition, instrumental colour (CIE L*a*b*), texture profile and fatty acid composition during mixing and at days 3, 10, 17, 24 and 31 of the drying process. A sensory evaluation was also performed by a seven-member trained panel, to obtain a descriptive analysis of the taste, texture and appearance of the product. The addition of olive oil alginate emulsion and inulin, O-I 6%, resulted in a low-salt, reduced-fat product (20% less fat than traditional sausage), richer in monounsaturated fatty acids (10%), while retaining sensory notes similar to those of the traditional chorizo used as a control and achieved a good acceptability rating.

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of male and female foals.

This research was conducted to characterize the carcass traits and meat quality of 16-month and 24-month old foals (33 males and 23 females) reared in two different livestock production systems. The carcass parameters assessed were conformation, degree of fatness, morphology, weight and carcass meat colour. The physicochemical characteristics and sensory profile of the M. longissimus dorsi (LD) were determined at 4 days of ageing. The carcass parameters and meat quality traits differed little between colts and fillies. There were significant differences between production systems. Carcasses were characterized by B conformation, 3 of fatness and high dressing percentages (>63%). Foal meat had a high myoglobin content and there were differences between the production systems in the flavour, juiciness, flourness and greasiness of the LD.

Intramuscular and subcutaneous lipid fatty acid profile composition in male and female foals

This study characterised the lipid classes of Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle and the fatty acid profiles of the LD intramuscular fat and subcutaneous (SC) adipose tissue of male and female foal mixed populations. Two animal groups were studied based on slaughter ages of 16 and 24 months. The sex of the animals had no statistical significance in the lipid fractions of the LD muscle or in the intramuscular fatty acids (p⩾0.05). In contrast, there was a significant effect of sex on the fatty acid profile of the SC adipose tissue. Furthermore, the livestock production system showed difference in both lipid class and fatty acid profiles from the LD and SC adipose tissues. The LD of 24-month old foals had lower phospholipids content (p⩽0.001), displayed little difference in saturated fatty acids (SFA) (p⩽0.1), exhibited higher levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) (p⩽0.05) and lower levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) (p⩽0.05) compared with that of the 16-month old foals. Furthermore, the fatty acid profile of the SC adipose tissue of the 24-month old foals had higher SFA (p⩽0.05) and PUFA (p⩽0.01) with lower amounts of MUFA (p⩽0.001) relative to the 16-month old foals.

Colour and texture characteristics in meat of male and female foals.

The effect of livestock production system and sex was studied on the colour and on the texture profile of the longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) from 16- and 24-month-old foals aged 4 days. Besides, the effect of ageing time was also studied on the texture profile between 4 and 8 days. Females from the 16-months group were darker than their counterparts and the 4-day aged steaks of the 24-month-old foals were lighter, redder and yellower. LD muscle of the 24-month-old foals was tougher after 4 and 8 days ageing than that of the younger foals besides in the 24-month-old foals the toughness may have been accentuated by lower growth rate prior to slaughter. Ageing improved tenderness but the rate of tenderisation was different according to age. The colour coordinates a(∗) and b(∗) could differentiate the 4-day aged steaks of the foal samples according to production system to a higher degree than did the compression or WBSF values being b(∗) values the most important colour coordinate which could discriminate the origin of the animals.

Predicting Longissimus dorsi myoglobin oxidation in aged beef based on early post-mortem colour measurements on the carcass as a colour stability index

Sixty young bulls of the Pirenaica breed, representative of the beef production and marketing system in northern Spain, were used. The carcass grading and weight, pH at 24h post-mortem, and objective colour measurements (CIE L(∗)a(∗)b(∗)) were recorded on the Latissimus dorsi, Rectus abdominis and Longissimus dorsi in order to find indicators and predictors of beef colour stability (Longissimus dorsi metmyoglobin percentage on ageing for 3, 7 and 14days) by means of early post-mortem measurements on the carcass. Neither the conformation nor the degree of fattening, under the current EU beef carcass classification system, displayed any statistically significant relationship with colour stability of beef aged 3, 7 and 14days. However, there was a relationship between the instrumental colour measured on the carcass and the colour stability of the beef. This relationship allowed prediction of colour stability (Longissimus dorsi MMb percentage) after 3, 7 and 14days of ageing and 48h blooming using colour coordinates measured on the carcass.

The effect of cooking on the fatty acid composition of longissimus muscle from beef heifers fed rations designed to increase the concentration of conjugated linoleic acid in tissue

Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle from 60 Charolais crossbred heifers, aged for 14 days was used to investigate the effect of cooking on the content of PUFA and CLA fatty acids. Animals were offered a control diet of grass silage and concentrates (CO) or rations designed to enhance the concentration of CLA in tissue, i.e. unsupplemented grazed pasture (G), sunflower-oil supplemented grazing (SFG) or linseed-oil oil supplemented grazing (LSG). The SFG diet was the most effective for increasing the concentration of CLA but also caused the highest n-6/n-3 fatty acid ratio. There were no changes in the relative distribution of fatty acids upon cooking (140°C for 30min) and this procedure can be recommended because it preserves the nutritional value of the meat. It is concluded that irrespective of the change in the fatty acid composition of LD due to alteration in the diet of the cattle, cooking did not cause thermal degradation of PUFA, or thermal degradation or oxidative synthesis of CLA.

Sex effect on meat quality and carcass traits of foals slaughtered at 15 months of age

The effect of sex on carcass measurement, physico-chemical properties, nutritional value and sensory characteristics of foal meat slaughtered at 15 months was investigated. Twelve foals (six females and six males) from an extensive production system in freedom regimen were used for this study. Sex had no statistical influence on carcass measurements, chemical composition, colour parameters, textural properties, amino acid content and sensory characteristics. In contrast, there was a clear effect on the fatty acid profile of longissimus dorsi. Slaughter weight was not significantly (P > 0.05) different between sexes, although higher values were observed in male group compared with female group (194 v. 184 kg). As a consequence, this trend affected carcass weight being slightly (P > 0.05) heavier in the male group than in the female group. On the other hand, cooking loss samples from males showed significantly higher values than those from females (21.50% v. 14.96%, P < 0.05). From a nutritional point of view, the n-6/n-3 ratio in both sexes was within the recommended range for the human diet and this ratio was ostensibly different between the sexes (1.83 v. 1.36, P < 0.05, for male and female, respectively) and it showed a strong correlation (r = -0.91, P < 0.01) with C18:3n-3 content.

The effect of livestock production system and concentrate level on carcass traits and meat quality of foals slaughtered at 18 months of age.

This trial was conducted to study the effect of livestock production system (freedom extensive system (FES) v. semi extensive system (SES)) and amount of finishing feed (1.5 v. 3.0 kg of commercial feed) in SES on carcass characteristics, meat quality and nutritional value of meat foal slaughtered at 18 months of age. For this study, a total of 49 foals (21 from FES and 28 from SES) were used. The obtained results showed that SES had a positive influence on carcass characteristic because these foals showed the best values for live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage, perimeter of leg (PL) and carcass compactness index. On the other hand, finishing feeding also had a significant (P<0.05) effect on PL and lean thickness, as the highest values were obtained in foals finished with 3 kg of commercial fodder. The physico-chemical properties were significantly affected by the livestock production system with the exception of ashes content (P>0.05). Foals finished in SES increased in 408% the intramuscular fat content (0.23 v. 1.17%, for foals reared in FES and SES, respectively). On the other hand, L*-value and a*-value were significantly (P<0.01) affected by livestock production system, as foals from the FES group had a more intense redder color (higher CIE a*-value) and higher lightness (higher CIE L*-value) compared with those from the SES group. Finally, meat nutritional value was significantly affected by livestock production system, as foals from an extensive production system on wood pasture could be considered as healthier in relation to their fatty acid profiles (low n-6/n-3 ratio and high hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio) as a result of the beneficial grass intake on meat fatty acid profile.

Effect of weight at slaughter and breed on beef intramuscular lipid classes and fatty acid profile.

The effect of slaughter weight and breed on the composition of intramuscular fat (IMF) of seven Spanish cattle breeds was studied. Lipid classes and fatty acids were evaluated in young bulls of seven local Spanish cattle breeds, Asturiana, Avileña, Morucha, Parda Alpina, Pirenaica, Retinta and Rubia Gallega, slaughtered at a live weight of 320 kg (veal type) and 550 kg (yearling bull type). Higher slaughter weight and early maturating breeds produced higher IMF content in the longissimus muscle (P < 0.001), which was linked to a reduction in phospholipids, monoglycerides, diglycerides, cholesterol and free-fatty acids content, but an increase in triacylglycerols. Besides, heavier animals displayed a higher percentage of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), but a lower polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) percentage (P < 0.001). The increase in triglycerides (TG), saturated fatty acids (SFA) and MUFA illustrates the increasing importance of lipid storage as fattening proceeds and the acquisition of ruminal functionality. The feeding system based on cereals had a strong influence on the fatty acid profile, giving the studied beef a relatively high PUFA/SFA and n-6/n-3 ratios.