Abstract
In this study, we determined the amount of carnosine and anserine in water buffalo meat without hanging treatment and the free amino acid profile by using amino acid analyser with post-column ninhydrin derivatization procedure. The main free amino acids present in samples were glutamic acid (>60 mg/100 g), followed by alanine, glycine, and arginine. Other protein amino acids were detected in minor amounts (less than 2 mg/100 g). Among the non-protein amine-containing compounds, taurine and urea were the most abundant. The analysis showed that 50% of the total free amino acids was represented by dipeptides carnosine (average ~130.3 mg/100 g) and anserine (average ~17.9 mg/100 g). Thus, this study for the first time reports the free amino acids profile of water buffalo meat and the content of carnosine and anserine, potentially involved in the darkening meat process and their ratio, that could be used to estimate the water buffalo meat portion in mixed meat products.
Highlights
Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis L.), a large-ruminant animal, plays an important role in human nutrition (Borghese, 2011), as a source of milk and raw meat
We report data on the free amino acid content of water buffalo meat after quick extraction in ethanol followed by sulfosalicylic acid precipitation from three different Campania abattoirs without meat hanging treatment
Protein, and lipid values of water buffalo from Campania region were similar to those reported in previously works
Summary
Water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis L.), a large-ruminant animal, plays an important role in human nutrition (Borghese, 2011), as a source of milk and raw meat. Quality, and organoleptic characteristics, water buffalo meat is almost similar to cattle meat (beef), while at the same time appreciated for lower fat, cholesterol, and calories (Infascelli et al, 2003). Based on these properties, the nutritional quality of buffalo meat can be considered of great interest, for the possibility of development of value-added meat products. Water buffalo is very well known thanks to its milk used for the production of “mozzarella”, a typical Italian cheese renowned worldwide (European Commission, 1998), providing a valuable source of economic development for this region
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