No abstract

M. Longissimus lumborum from 16 wild boars was analysed 48 and 360-h post-mortem in order to evaluate the effect of storage on the quality of meat from the feral wild boar. The pH of M. longissimus lumborum measured 5.72 (48 h) and increased after storage by 0.09. The colour parameters were not affected by storage þ2 C, and were typical for game meat. The effect of chilled storage was observed in form of the following changes: a decrease in free water percentage and drip loss, and an increase of meat plasticity. A significant decrease has been recorded in the Warner-Bratzler force difference, initial biting force and biting peak force. The storage time did not affect the proximal chemical composition of the wild boar meat. The microbial growth of wild boar meat increased gradually during chilled storage. On the basis of the presented results, it can be concluded about no signs of negative effect of chilled storage on the quality of meat of the wild boar. HIGHLIGHTS The 14-day storage period at þ2 C allows for the development of desirable textural traits of meat from wild boar. The wild boar meat stored for 14 days characterised with proper microbiological quality. The wild boar meat revealed some attributes of abnormal quality.

The meat from hunted wild boar juveniles (N = 18) and yearlings (N = 17) was analysed to assess the influence of age and the ultimate pH value on selected quality traits. The analysed meat of 55.56% of the juveniles and 64.71% of the yearlings was characterised with normal pH. The pH had been measured 24 and 48 h post mortem. More cases of high ultimate pH (pHu > 5.8) and high maximal pH (about 6.2) have been noted in the meat of younger animals compared with older ones. We found no effect of pHu on the colour coordinates of analysed wild boar meat. A slight effect of age was observed for the lightness (L*) coordinate. The postmortem time was the most important factor influencing meat colour [L*, yellowness (b*), and hue angle]. A high pHu was related to lower drip loss (P = 0.001), lower percentage of free water (P = 0.036), lower cooking loss (P = 0.001), and lower plasticity (P = 0.042). The meat from juveniles showed higher plasticity than meat from yearlings. Summing up, both the pHu level and the age of wild boars may affect some qualitative patterns of meat, changing the technological usability of this raw animal product.

No abstract

The goal of this study was to examine the seasonal variation in the body composition, carcass composition, and quality of edible internal organs from the fallow deer hunt-harvested in the summer (n = 9) and the winter (n = 10) seasons. The weight and proportion of the mesenteric and omental fat were greater for the animals harvested in the winter (1.12 kg and 2.75%) compared to those from the summer season (0.43 kg and 1.02%). The winter-harvested animals had more perinephric fat (0.75 kg and 1.84%) than those hunted in summer (0.26 kg and 1.84%). The gastrointestinal tract of the fallow deer hunted in summer was more filled with feed and therefore heavier (7.92 kg) compared to those from the winter season (5.16 kg). The proportion of fat was significantly greater in the carcasses obtained in winter compared to the summer season (6.55% vs. 3.79%). No seasonal variety was found in the physicochemical characteristics of the edible offal, but the content of extractable fat was significantly affected by the season. In conclusion, the effect of the season on the slaughter value of the hunt-harvested fallow deer was limited to a variation in the proportion of some of the internal organs and affected the fat deposition in the body of the examined animals. The season significantly affected the fat content in the carcass and the extractable fat content in the examined offal.