Changes in the physicochemical and sensory characteristics in raw and grilled ovine meat

The effect of storage time on sensory attributes and physicochemical characteristics (pH, L*, a*, b* color parameters, protein solubility, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), texture profile analysis (TPA), proteolytic activity, moisture and peptide changes) were evaluated as indicators of ovine meat quality changes during refrigeration. Meat samples were stored for 14 days at 2 ± 1 °C. The samples were divided into two sections: one was analyzed raw and the other was grilled to 72 ± 2 °C prior to analysis. The data were examined using multivariate data analysis (principal component analysis).

Tenderness showed a positive relationship with pH (0.55), and brightness presented a high correlation with sarcoplasmic protein solubility (-0.83) and L* (0.85) in raw ovine meat. Variations during storage were observed; for instance, textural parameters had a maximum value on the third day of storage for raw and grilled meat and decreased over the following days. Conversely, days 7 and 14 were distinguished by higher L* and b* values and by a greasy and bloody odor in the raw ovine meat. On day 14, grilled meat was characterized by chewiness on TPA, an intense grilled-meat odor and intense flavor, which had a positive relationship with cytochrome c equivalents (0.89). Likewise, sensory hardness was highly correlated with WBSF in grilled meat (0.89).

This information may be useful for describing and predicting ovine meat quality for both consumers and processors. Therefore, vacuum-packaged ovine meat can be stored for 14 days without disagreeable color to the consumer, and the raw meat texture is tender.