With increased consumer knowledge about the relationship between diet and a healthy lifestyle in recent decades, there has been an increase in awareness and demand for efficient protein sources. Rabbit meat is rich in easily digestible protein, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), vitamins, and minerals (such as calcium, magnesium, and zinc), as well as being low in fat, sodium, and cholesterol, which makes it of good edible and nutritional value, so it needs to be handled properly. Rabbit meat, on the other hand, has been associated with the spread of microbial contamination (such as Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Salmonella species) that may originate from the animal itself, equipment, workers, or the surrounding environment. Each effort must be made to keep rabbit meat free of contaminants that could be harmful to humans. Few studies had been conducted, either internationally or in Egypt, to examine the physicochemical and microbiological characteristics of rabbit meat. We shall compile existing data on the quality of rabbit meat in this review. Furthermore, the potential hazards that influence the physicochemical and microbiological qualities and shelf life, as well as the proposals for decontamination trials to enhance the sensory attributes and shelf life of rabbit meat, will be presented.

Rabbit meat provides a good source of high-quality animal protein with low fat content, it is considered a functional food. This study aimed to determine the growth performance, carcass traits, and chemical quality of New Zealand White rabbit meat breeding treated with different growth promoters. Therefore, 40 apparently healthy New Zealand White male rabbits, 5 weeks of age, were allotted to 4 equal experimental groups. The first group was kept as a control group, the second group included rabbits fed ad libitum supplemented with a beta-glucan 2.0 g/kg diet, The third group comprised rabbits that were injected twice intramuscular of boldenone undecylenate (5 mg/kg body weight) with 3-weeks intervals, the fourth group included rabbits that injected intramuscular of 40 µg/kg body weight estradiol day by day for 30 days. The obtained results revealed that the treated groups with growth promoters had a significant increase (P<0.05) in growth performance (total body weight gain and daily weight gain) and dressing percentage. Administration of boldenone undecylenate resulted in a significant increase (P< 0.05) in protein content in their meat compared to the control group. Rabbits injected with estradiol show a nonsignificant effect (P> 0.05) on dressing % or protein content of meat. Rabbits feed on a beta-glucan-supplemented diet show the highest carcass dressing percentage. Further studies were challenging food investigators for the rabbit meat treated with hormonal growth promoters to study their residues and their impact on consumer health.