Małgorzata Sobczak

Effects of fibre type and kefir, wine lemon, and pineapple marinades on texture and sensory properties of wild boar and deer longissimus muscle.

Fibre type percentage and changes in textural parameters, sensory properties as well as mean fibre cross sectional area (CSA), fibre shape, endomysium and perimysium thickness of wild boar and deer longissimus (L) muscle subjected to ageing with kefir, dry red wine, lemon and pineapple juice marinades for 4 days were studied. Among the non-marinated and non-aged samples of muscles it was found that wild boar meat with its higher percentage of red fibres, higher CSA, thicker connective tissue as compared with deer meat, was harder, more springy and stringy. Muscles ageing, regardless of methods, resulted in a decrease in both the CSA and thickness of the connective tissue, and improve in fibre shape. As a consequence ageing caused a reduction in hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and stringiness as well as in augmentation of tenderness, juiciness and general attractiveness of the muscles studied. As demonstrated by obtained data, regardless of ageing methods, deer L muscle contained more white fibres compared to wild boar muscle, were more susceptible to tenderization. The highest structural and textural changes, but the worst general attractiveness was found in muscles marinated with pineapple juice addition. Insignificantly lower changes in both quality traits were found in muscles aged with kefir marinade which at the same time were characterized by the high tenderness, the highest juiciness and general attractiveness.

Utility for production of massaged products of selected wild boar muscles originating from wetlands and an arable area

Percentages of muscle fibre types, area of intramuscular fatty tissue (IMF) and changes in hardness, rheological properties as well as mean fibre cross-sectional area (CSA), and endomysium thickness of muscles from wild boars hunted in two different ecosystems (arable area vs. wetlands) were evaluated. Three muscles: Biceps femoris (BF), Semimembranosus (SM), and Longissimus (L) subjected to massaging (or not) for 4h were studied. Fibre type percentage and structural elements: mean muscle fibre cross-sectional area (CSA), endomysium thickness, and amount of intramuscular fat (IMF) were measured using a computer image analysis programme. Fibre properties of muscles from wild boars originating from arable areas did not differ from those of wild boars from wetlands. Muscles of wild boars hunted in the arable area of the forest contained significantly higher amounts of intramuscular fat and lower values of hardness, viscous and elastic moduli than the corresponding muscles of animals from the marshy area. Of the muscles tested, BF with its higher percentage of red fibres and fibre CSA, thicker endomysium and lower amount of IMF compared to SM and L muscles, was tougher and more elastic and viscous than the other two muscles. Muscle massaging resulted in an increase in the fibre CSA and decrease in thickness of the endomysium and as a consequence reduced hardness and augmented the viscous and elastic modules of the muscles. Muscles with higher amounts of intramuscular fat, lower values of textural parameters and percentage of red fibres as well as smaller structural elements showed higher susceptibility to massaging. Muscles from animals hunted on wetlands compared to those from wild boar shot on the arable land and BF compared to SM and L, were slightly less susceptible to mechanical tenderization.

Age-related changes in the carcass composition and meat quality of fallow deer (DAMA DAMA L.)

The present study investigated the possible differences in carcass composition as well as texture, structure and percentage of different muscle types of the most valuable muscles (BF - biceps femoris, SM - semimembranosus, and L - longissimus) from fallow deer (Dama dama L.) bucks shot in the forest farm in north-western Poland at four different ages: 18, 30, 42 and 54 months. It was found that carcasses of young fallow deer (18-30 months), compared to older animals, were characterised by a higher dressing proportion, a higher percentage of the most valuable commercial cuts (the saddle, haunch and shoulder), high meat yield with the lowest percentage of bones and a lower percentage of skin and head. Their muscles, compared with older animals, were characterised by a lower percentage of red fibres, lower muscle fibre area, thinner perimysium and endomysium, lower amount of intramuscular fat and as a consequence lower hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, as well as a higher pH and lower thermal drip.

Influence of marinades on shear force, structure and sensory properties of home-style jerky

BACKGROUND Products from dried meat have been sold for many years as snack foods. The most important sensory attributes of this type of food are texture and flavour, determined by the selection of the raw material and the effect of numerous technological factors. The aim of the study was to investigate the structure, sen- sory and mechanical properties of meat snacks produced under non-commercial conditions using wild boar, roe deer and beef as raw material. METHODS Jerky was prepared from Longissimus muscle treated (24 h, 4°C) with the follow- ing marinades before drying at 55°C for 6 h: (a) spices, (b) lemon & honey marinade, (c) marinating with balsamic vinegar marinade, (d) dipping into pineapple marinade, and (e) using ginger marinade. The jerky’s shear and work forces, structure and sensory properties were compared. RESULTS An increase in sensory properties and a decrease in WB parameters as a consequence in muscle structural elements changes were found in all marinate-treated samples compared to the control. The greatest changes were observed when the meat was soaked with pineapple marinade before drying. Lower ones were observed when ginger and balsamic vinegar marinades were applying, and the lowest when jerky was produced using lemon & honey. Roe deer jerky, compared to wild boar and beef, received better scores for texture, and worse for overall acceptability. CONCLUSIONS Marinades containing proteolytic enzymes or characterized by a low pH could be used as tenderizers in jerky production from initially tough meat such as wild boar, and marinades based on lemon & honey and also vinegar could be used for flavoring tender meat with an intense aroma, such as roe deer meat.