Effect of genotype and sex on carcase composition, physicochemical properties, texture and microstructure of meat from geese after four reproductive seasons.

1. The objective of this study was to compare carcase weight and composition and meat quality traits of Landes, Slovak White and Kuban geese after four reproductive seasons. A total of 42 goose carcases (seven males and seven females from each breed) were assessed.2. After four reproductive seasons, the breeds differed in eviscerated carcase weight. Slovak White geese showed more breast muscle with a cooking loss, whereas Kuban geese had a higher percentage of neck and carcase discards compared to the other breeds. The breeds differed in the chemical composition of breast and leg muscles, except for collagen in breast muscles and protein in leg muscles.3. Regardless of breed, males had heavier carcase weight and higher breast muscle, leg muscle, neck and wings and lower percentages of skin with subcutaneous fat and abdominal fat relative to body weight compared to females. Sex had a significant effect on the fat and salt content, meat lightness, most textural characteristics and endomysium thickness of breast muscle. The same differences in leg muscles for chemical composition (except for protein percentage) and lightness were recorded.4. Breed x sex interactions were significant for the proportion of leg muscle, chemical composition of breast and leg muscles (except for leg protein content), muscle fibre cross-sectional area and fibre perimeter of pectoralis major muscle.5. The results showed that the carcases and meat of the goose breeds after four reproductive seasons were suitable for consumers and meat processors, due to favourable composition, high nutritive value and good technological properties.

Nutritional value and sensory properties of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) fillets enriched with sustainable and natural feed ingredients.

Declines across global fishery stocks forced aquaculture feed manufacturers to search for new and sustainable components. Therefore, the aim of study was assessing nutritional value and sensory properties of meat of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) fed for 116 days with two blends. The control feed contained 5% of fishmeal and vegetable oils (rapeseed and soybean) as sole fat sources. While in the experimental diet half of the fishmeal was replaced with a blend of microalgae (Spirulina sp., Chlorella sp.), macroalgae (Laminaria digitata) and vegetable oil was replaced with salmon oil. Proximate composition, energy value, fatty acid profile of meat, nutritional characteristics of fat and protein as well as culinary properties of fillets were assessed. Fillets of carp fed experimental diet had a higher level of protein, lower level of fat and energy value. Intramuscular fat of fish fed with the experimental diet had a better parameters of quality. Protein in the meat of fish from both groups was characterized by a high quality comparing to the protein standard. Our study showed that meat of carp fed with experimental feed enriched with sustainable and natural feed ingredients can be a sensorily attractive source of nutritious ingredients in the human diet.

Quality improvement of common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) meat fortified with n-3 PUFA.

The effect of carp feeding with n-3 PUFA-enriched feed (Schizochytrium sp. meal or salmon oil) on nutritional quality indicators (proximal composition, fatty acid profile of fat) and culinary quality (color parameters, texture, sensory properties) was evaluated. Highly significant effects of carp nutrition on chemical composition and fat characteristics, L* and a* color parameters, muscle fiber size, endomysium thickness, moisture and taste of fillets were determined. Fillets obtained from carps fed with the experimental feed contained less protein and more crude fat and had larger muscle fibers, but scored more highly in the sensory evaluation of moisture and fishy taste. In the fat of carp fed the enriched feed, a greater share of total PUFA, n-3 PUFA, total EPA and DHA, n-3/n-6 ratio, and a smaller share of total MUFA were observed compared with control fish. However, no effect of nutrition on the texture of carp fillets, assessed either instrumentally or using sensory methods, was found. The use of Schizochytrium sp. meal as a source of EPA and DHA gave much better results than salmon oil, as it allowed a higher content of these valuable fatty acids to be achieved, without compromising quality.

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.

Effects of fibre type and structure of longissimus lumborum (Ll), biceps femoris (Bf) and semimembranosus (Sm) deer muscles salting with different Nacl addition on proteolysis index and texture of dry-cured meats.

The aim of the present study was to describe the effect of fibre type and structure as well as NaCl level on the proteolysis index and texture parameters observed in dry-cured meats produced from individual deer muscles. The biceps femoris, semimembranosus and longissimus lumborum muscles were cut from deer main elements, shaped into blocks by trimming off the edges, cured by adding 4, 6 and 8% of salt (w/w) and dried in a ripening chamber for 29days. The results indicated that deer dry-cured muscles with higher percentage of red fibres (type I) showed higher texture parameters, proteolysis index as well as lower moisture losses than muscles with higher amount of white fibres (type IIB). Dry-cured deer muscles with lower NaCl content showed higher values of proteolysis index and lower hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness, as well as lower changes in structure elements.

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.

The influence of giant fibres on utility for production of massaged products of porcine muscle longissimus dorsi.

Musculus longissimus dorsi (L) originating from 6 genotype groups of pigs was examined. Three among these were parental lines: Pietrain (Pi), Duroc (D), Polish Large White x Polish Landrace (PLW x PL), the other three crossbreeds obtained by crossing the aforementioned parental lines: (PLW x PL) x Pi, (PLW x PL) x (PixD) and (PLW x PL) x (D x Pi). It was found that there exists a variety of numbers and sizes of giant fibres and sizes of muscle fibres in the L muscle of the groups of animals, which results in a diversity of quality and susceptibility to massaging. The largest number of giant fibres and the greatest sizes of normal and giant fibres, along with the largest losses after heat treatment, the highest hardness, shear force, the lowest juiciness and attractiveness were found in the L muscle of Pi. Muscle of this breed was characterised by the least change in quality indicators during massaging. The decrease of Pi breed genes in the crossbreed genotype, resulted in reduction in the quantity of giant fibres and fibre sizes in comparison with pure Pi breed, which increased quality of crossbreeds' muscles and their susceptibility to massaging.

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.

Effects of massaging on hardness, rheological properties, and structure of four wild boar muscles of different fibre type content and age.

Histochemistry (percentage number of three type fibres and their cross-sectional area) and changes in hardness, rheological properties (elastic and viscous moduli), and structural elements (mean fibre cross-sectional area and thickness of endomysium) of four wild boar muscles of different ages: biceps femoris (BF), semimembranosus (SM), quadriceps femoris (QF), and longissimus (L) subjected to effective massaging for 1, 2, 3, and 4h were evaluated. BF, with the high percentage of type I fibres, higher mean fibre cross-sectional area, thicker endomysium as compared with QF, SM and L, was harder, more elastic, and more viscous than the other three muscles. Muscles of older boars were found to contain higher percentages of type I fibres, lower percentages of type IIB fibres, bigger muscle fibre cross-sectional areas, thicker endomysium and higher values of hardness than the same muscles of young boars, whereas the percentage of type IIA fibres was about the same in the muscles of both groups. No effect of age on rheological properties was found. Muscle massaging resulted in an increase in the mean fibre cross-sectional area, changes in thickness of the endomysium, reduction in hardness and viscous moduli as well as in the elastic moduli of the muscles studied. The lower the initial values of textural and structural parameters and percentage of type I fibres of a muscle were, the higher was the muscles susceptibility to massage. BF compared to SM, QF and L, of all the older boar muscles tested compared to those obtained from young boars were less susceptible to mechanical tenderization.