The effect of muscle, cooking method and final internal temperature on quality parameters of meat lamb

Abstract

In this contribution we assessed the effect of the cooking methods and temperatures on their meat quality especiallay on fatty acids composition and colour characteristics of meat lamb fed on the Algerian pastures . The investigation was carried out in spring 2014 on two groups of lambs (Rumbi breed) feeding either on pasture supplemented with hay in a highland area or on pasture supplemented with concentrate in a steppe area, with a free access to water. After slaughter, samples of the Longissimus thoracis have been removed, cooked and subjected for further analysis. The results showed more fat in the meat from the steppe group than in the highland one (respectively 11.78% vs. 7.70%, p<0.001). The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels of meat from lambs raised in the steppe were higher compared to the highland group. The n-3 PUFA and C18:3 n-3 (ALA) levels were significantly higher in the tissue from the steppe group, but there was no significant difference between the highland and the steppe lamb meat with regards to C18:2 n-6 (LA) levels. The LA/ALA and n-6/n-3 ratios reached 9% and 5.67% for highland and steppe animals, respectively (P<0.001) and 3.45% and 3.01% for the steppe-bred animals and highland (P<0.001).