Abstract
The increasing demand for meat from alternative species, such as blesbok (Damaliscus pygargus phillipsi), gives rise to the need for characterizing the quality attributes of fresh meat from these species. While muscle-specific colour stability has been extensively studied in conventional livestock, limited information is available on this phenomenon in game meat. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the colour stability of three major blesbok muscles, infraspinatus (IS), longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and biceps femoris (BF). Instrumental colour, surface myoglobin redox forms, and biochemical attributes influencing colour stability were measured on 2.5-cm steaks from blesbok IS, LTL, and BF during refrigerated storage under aerobic conditions for eight days. IS steaks consistently demonstrated higher (P ≤ 0.05) redness, colour stability, and chroma than the LTL and BF steaks. These findings suggested that blesbok IS muscle is more colour-stable than its LTL and BF counterparts. The game industry may employ muscle-specific strategies to improve marketability of fresh blesbok meat.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 69-79 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | Meat Science |
| Volume | 119 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 1 2016 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This work is based on the research supported by the South African Research Chairs Initiative of the Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation of South Africa. Any opinion, finding and conclusion or recommendation expressed in this material is that of the author(s), and the National Research Foundation does not accept any liability in this regard. The assistance provided by the staff and post graduate students from the Departments of Animal Sciences and Food Science, Stellenbosch University, is appreciated.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 Elsevier Ltd.
Keywords
- Game meat
- Myoglobin
- Ungulate
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Food Science