Investigation on the nutritive value and microbiological quality of wild quail carcasses

Quail meats have many advantages and superiority one the other species of poultry. This study was planned to throw plenty of light on gross chemical composition, lipid fractions, fatty acids composition, amino acids composition, of thigh and breast of male and female wild quail meat as well as the microbiological quality. The mean values of moisture, protein, fat, ash and energy contents ranged from 60.1 to 69.2%, 55.0 to 68.8%, 28.8 to 42.1%, 2.40 to 3.63% and 696 to 1000 kJ, respectively. Seven fractions of lipids (phospholipids, monoglycerides, cholesterol, diglycerides, free fatty acids, triglycerides and hydrocarbons) were estimated. The individual fatty acids were determined. The mean total unsaturated fatty acids represented 73.9, 66.8, 60.2 and 67.5% of the total fatty acids in thigh male, breast male, thigh female and breast female quail, while that of saturated fatty acids were 25.1, 30.1, 32.0 and 30.4%, respectively. The essential fatty acids in thigh and breast males were 34.8 and 29.0% against 25.7 and 28.1% in females. Amino acids composition were varied from 82.6 to 95.2 g/100 g protein in thigh, breast of male and female wild quails. The essential amino acids were illustrated. The mean values of psychotrophic, Pseudomonas, Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, Streptococci and Staph. aureus were 4 x 10(4), 1 x 10(2), 4 x 10(3), 3 x 10(3), 6 x 10(2) and 1 x 10(3) cfu/g, respectively. E. coli, Enterobacter agglumerans, E. cloacae, Morganella morgani, Proteus mirabilis, and P. vulgaris could be isolated in varying percentages. Neither Salmonellae nor Clostridium perfringens could be isolated from the examined quails. The public health aspects for the estimated and isolated criteria were outlined.