Effect of cut type and post-mortem ageing on the technological quality, textural profile and sensory characteristics of horse meat

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of cut type and ageing period on the technological quality, colour, texture and sensory characteristics of horse meat. Nine different cuts: loin, shoulder chuck roll, shank, outside round, tenderloin, shoulder clod, brisket, top round and striploin from 28-month-old female horses were used in the present investigation. The cuts were randomly assigned into 2, 10, 20 and 30 days’ ageing groups and ageing was carried out in a chilling room (2 ± 2°C). The results showed that there were significant (P < 0.05) differences among the cuts for the drip loss, pH and cooking loss at all ageing days; particularly, striploin had the lowest pH and highest drip loss whereas shoulder chuck roll had the highest pH value. Ageing significantly (P < 0.05) increased in pH and drip loss in most cuts with the highest drip loss ~5.17% in striploin and the highest cooking loss ~9.27% in shoulder chuck roll after 30 days of ageing. At Day 2 of ageing, no differences in Warner–Bratzler shear force values occurred between the cuts (P > 0.05). Ageing only decreased Warner–Bratzler shear force in the loin and outside round (P < 0.05). Colour parameters also revealed differences between cuts and ageing periods, particularly the L* (lightness) values ranged between the cuts from 34.38 to 37.14, 34.0 to 37.24, 33.24 to 37.07, and 34.7 to 38.92 at Days 2, 10, 20 and 30 of ageing, respectively; similarly the a* (redness) values ranged between the cuts from 16.76 to 17.81, 16.61 to 17.85, 17.46 to 19.46, and 17.72 to 20.47 at Days 2, 10, 20 and 30 of ageing, respectively. For the compression, the lowest hardness values (4.41–5.73 kg) were found in tenderloin at all ageing days. Furthermore, the scores for tenderness, flavour, juiciness and acceptability were different (P < 0.05) among the cuts at all ageing days. Ageing improved flavour of loin, shank and striploin, and juiciness of tenderloin and striploin whereas it decreased the juiciness and acceptability scores of some cuts (e.g. shoulder chuck roll). Thus, the present data provide not only useful information for horse meat producers but also important databases for further investigations.