Meat Quality Attributes of Chilled Venison and Beef

Abstract

Meat quality attributes of venison and beef “semimembranosus” muscle stored at −1.5 C for 4 weeks were compared. Chilled venison had lower L*, a*, b*and chroma compared to beef. Percent expressible water (PEW), shear force and cook loss were lower in venison compared to beef. μ‐Calpain activities at pH 7.4 and 5.5 were higher and the activity of μ + m‐calpain at pH 5.5 (and not at pH 7.4) was lower in venison compared to beef. L*, a*, b*and chroma in meat from both species increased with chilled storage time (P < 0.01); the increase was higher in beef compared to venison. μ‐Calpain activities at pH 7.4 and 5.5 in venison increased in the first week of storage and then declined in the second while it decreased with time in beef at pH 7.4 and followed similar trend as venison at pH 5.5. Activities of μ + m‐calpain at pH 7.4 and 5.5 decreased with chilled storage time in both types of meat. Shear force decreased with storage time, raw meat PEW increased in the first week and cook loss increased for the first 2 weeks of storage and then declined thereafter in both meats. Within the parameters of this study, the table‐eating quality of venison improved and its color deteriorated faster in chilled storage compared to beef implying that the processing inputs required to maximize meat quality of beef may not be suitable for venison and vice versa. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS The following are some of the practical applications of this research: (1) process variables for optimal quality of table beef and venison differ, processors should tailor their process specifically for each specie; (2) venison producers who supply distant markets should consider the rapid rate of tenderization of venison to avoid supplying products with poor texture resulting from over tenderization; (3) the practice of packaging meat under high oxygen environment to enhance color may affect the quality of venison more than other red meats because of the rapid rate of oxidation in venison relative to these meats; (4) the rapid deterioration in the color of venison underscored the need to come up with a way of convincing the consumer to accept the browner color of venison as an inherent characteristic of this meat in order to minimize any bias against the meat because of its color; and (5) the use of fluorogenic substrates for determining calpain activities if further validated in other studies can be used for the online prediction of tenderness early postmortem.

Exogenous and Endogenous Factors Influencing Color of Fresh Meat from Ungulates

“…However, Bartoň et al (2014) observed that eland (Taurotragus oryx) meat was lighter (L* = 36.3) than beef (L* = 41.0). These findings were similar to other studies that reported that beef was lighter in comparison to meat from bison (Koch et al, 1995), reindeer and caribou (Rincker et al, 2006), as well as red deer (Farouk et al, 2007).…”

“…Farouk et al (2007) observed that beef had higher L*, a*, and chroma values (lighter, redder, and more saturated) in comparison with venison when stored at -1.5°C for 4 wk. The darker and less stable color of venison was attributed to its higher concentration of Mb (Young and West, 2001) and prooxidants (Drew and Seman 1987;Stevenson-Barry et al, 1999) in comparison with beef.…”

“…The majority of the research regarding pH of muscle has been done with regard to DFD and PSE in beef and pork. Although some research has been done on the effect of pH on the color of venison (Macdougall et al, 1979;Rincker et al, 2006;Wiklund et al, 2006;Farouk et al, 2007;Dahlan and Norfarizan Hanoon, 2008), bison (Dhanda et al, 2002, Dhanda et al, 2003 and game meat (Hoffman et al, 2009b;Hoffman and Laubscher, 2010), only limited literature is available with regard to its effect on color stability. Furthermore, the aforementioned studies, which included the relationship of color and pH in game meat, bison, and venison, have generally been part of broader investigations on meat quality and were not specifically focused on this relationship.…”

“…In a similar manner, the darker color of venison and game meat is attributed to greater Mb content (Vestergaard et al, 2000;Díaz et al, 2002;Kritzinger et al, 2003;Daszkiewicz et al, 2011), differences in muscle fiber types (Curry et al, 2012;North and Hoffman, 2015) and lower levels of intramuscular fat (Hoffman et al, 2005) in comparison to many domestic species. Furthermore, meat with a higher Mb content also has a higher concentration of iron, which promotes oxidation leading to a decline in the color stability (Farouk et al, 2007;Purchas et al, 2010).…”

Color Stability of Fallow Deer (Dama dama) Infraspinatus, Longissimus Thoracis et Lumborum, and Biceps Femoris Muscles During Refrigerated Storage

“…In addition, no gender differences were observed for total Mb concentration in the present study (Table 1). Therefore, the theorized relationships between Mb concentration and L* values (Vestergaard et al, 2000;Díaz et al, 2002;Kritzinger et al, 2003;Daszkiewicz et al, 2011) as well as the propensity to discolor rapidly (Farouk et al, 2007;Purchas et al, 2010) were not readily observable in fallow deer muscles.…”