Color stability and antioxidant capacity of yak meat as affected by feeding with pasture or grain

Abstract

Chen, C., Han, L., Yu, Q.-L. and Li, R.-R. 2015. Color stability and antioxidant capacity of yak meat as affected by feeding with pasture or grain. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 95: 189–195. The objective of the present study was to analyze the effect of pasture or grain on color stability and antioxidant capacity of M. longissimus lumborum (LL) from pasture-fed (PF) or grain-fed (GF) yaks. The color stability and metmyoglobin percentage (MetMb%) were determined during 9 d of aerobic refrigerated storage. The antioxidant capacity was estimated by the total phenolics content, Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP). Compared with the GF group, the LL from the PF group showed significantly (P<0.05) higher redness (a* values), with lower decline rate in a* values (P<0.05) over 1 to 7 d of refrigerated storage. The LL from the PF group had a significantly (P<0.05) lower metmyoglobin accumulation rate. At the end of storage, the muscle's MetMb% of the PF and GF group were 46.33 and 56.66%, respectively. The PF group showed significantly higher total phenolics content (+23.94%; P<0.05) in muscles, resulting in greater TEAC and FRAP, which were 24.81 and 3.99% higher than the GF group (P<0.05), respectively. In conclusion, the pasture enhanced antioxidant capacity of yak meat and contributed to improve the meat color stability.