Meat composition and quality in male Japanese quails from heavy Pharaoh line

Abstract

At 35 days of age, meat quality analysis was done as well as proximate analysis of breast and thigh muscles of 72 male quails from heavy Pharaoh line. Lightness values (L*) depended both on the time of post mortem analysis and of topographic site – lateral or medial muscle surface of the pectoral muscle. The L* value of lateral M. pectoralis superficialis (MPS) was higher. Redness and yellowness of meat increased proportionally to post mortem ageing, with peak values on the 24th post mortem hour. The chroma was more expressed on the medial MPS surface. With regard to determination of a common index of meat colour based on CIE L*a*b* coordinates, we propose the calculation of Meat Colour Index (MCI) according to the formula: MCI = (L* - C*). The meat of Japanese quails had high protein and low fat content. Gross energy of breast meat was within 5.03 - 6.13 MJ*kg-1, and that of thigh meat between 4.90 and 5.75 MJ*kg-1. The processing mode of carcasses by removing the skin made quail meat an exceptionally dietetic product with fat content < 3%.

Keywords

• japanese quails
• pharaoh line
• meat color index
• meat quality
• meat composition