Effect of balanced dietary protein on the physico-chemical quality and sensory attributes of rabbit meat from New Zealand white and Californian rabbits.
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Date
2023
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Abstract
The study was conducted at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Ukulinga Research farm
Pietermaritzburg, South Africa (SA) with the aim of investigating the effect of balanced dietary
protein on physico-chemical quality and sensory attributes of New Zealand white (NZW) and
Californian (CAL) rabbits. A total of eighty (80) NZW and CAL rabbits were allocated to a
diet composed of six balanced dietary protein levels (T1 = 126g/kg, T2 = 143g/kg, T3 =
161g/kg, T4 = 178g/kg, T5 = 196g/kg and T6 = 213g/kg) at weaning age (35 days) for a period
of 56 days. The rabbits were fed twice a day at 08:00 am and t 16:00 pm with water provided
ad libitum. Meat quality traits which include pH, colour (L*, a* and b*), water holding
capacity, cooking loss, shear force and drip loss were measured. No significant effects were
found for pH values between the two breeds at pH45 and pH24. No significant differences were
observed in colour (L*, a* and b*), water holding capacity (WHC), drip loss (DL), cooking
loss (CL) and shear force values of meat. Sensory attributes of the meat from New Zealand
(NZW) and Californian (CAL) were also evaluated using different tribes (Xhosa, Zulu and
Shona), gender and ages with different cooking methods (cooking and frying). In this study,
the first bite was rated superior (P < 0.05) in NZW breed for cooked meat. High scores were
observed in overall flavour intensity for fried meat in NZW breed (P < 0.05). In relation to
tribes, Shona tribe gave higher scores (P < 0.05) for both cooked and fried meat for all sensory
properties. Age was observed to have a significant impact whereby the highest scores (P <
0.05) for sustained impression of juiciness from fried meat were given by respondents in age
group 26-30 years. High sensory evaluation scores (P < 0.05) were observed in both females
and males in fried meat than cooked meat for all sensory characteristics. Highest scores (P <
0.05) were detected in overall flavour intensity of fried meat in all tribes. The sensory scores
for fried meat were significantly higher (P < 0.05) than cooked meat across age group between
21-25 and 26-30 years of age. It was concluded that the physico-chemical quality of NZW and
CAL rabbits was not altered by the balanced dietary protein, 73 and consumer’s demonstrated to
have a higher preferred fried meat than cooked meat based on the scores given by the
respondents.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg.