Trace element content, Amino acid composition and fatty acid profiles and of Timadidite’s lamb meat, raised in an agro-silvo-pastoral system of the Moroccan middle-Atlas

Abstract

Traditional food products are often considered beneficial and healthy Foods. Timahdite sheep breed is the main sheep breed raised in the middle-Atlas in Morocco. The breeding of this local rustic breed plays a crucial socio-economic role in this mountain area. Indeed, it generates a significant economic input for the rural population and plays a role of valuing natural resources in forest areas. Little information is available on Timahdite sheep meat produced in a traditional production system. This study aimed to provide more insights on the quality and nutritional value of Tamahdite’s sheep meat, which is in the process of being labeled “Protected Geographical Indication” as a protected product from the Middle Atlas. The longissimus lumborum is used for meat analysis and quality parameter determination. Analyses of amino acid composition show that this meat has a high protein value with a protein digestibility-corrected amino acid score of 325.09 and EAA index of 162.20. The fatty acid profile analysis shows that this meat has polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA)/saturated fatty acids and n-6/n-3 PUFA ratios of 0.50 and 9.60, respectively. In addition, the results show that this meat contains 5.70 mg/100g of trace elements, where zinc and iron are the most abundant.