Abstract
Horsemeat has a strictly defined group of consumers whose demand varies depending on the country or region. There is no tradition of consuming horsemeat in Poland. From a technological point of view, this raw material is as good as other types of meat. In the opinion of the consumer, compared to other species of animals, horsemeat is characterized by an intense red-brown colour and greater cohesiveness resulting from the type of muscle fibres. This meat has a sweetish taste due to the high carbohydrate content. The management of horsemeat often involves the use of modern freezing methods. Freezing horsemeat with the use of liquefied carbon dioxide is a method that increases its suitability for consumption as well as for export purposes in comparison with the traditional air-cooling method. To eliminate the unfavourable quality features of horsemeat, there are substances used to improve the functional and sensory properties of this meat. This paper discusses the research and development work carried out in the field of horsemeat quality and selected methods contributing to its improvement.
Highlights
The consumption of horsemeat has been interrupted throughout history for religious, social or cultural reasons
The so-called refinement of horsemeat by, e.g., intramuscular injection of the mixture of rendered horse tallow is recommended since it causes a higher dry matter content, brighter colour, less drip after thawing and a significantly higher sensory quality compared to untreated meat
The use of liquefied carbon dioxide in freezing technology is a method that increases its suitability for consumption as well as for export purposes compared to the traditional air-cooling method of horsemeat
Summary
The consumption of horsemeat has been interrupted throughout history for religious, social or cultural reasons. It should be noted that the horsemeat obtained after slaughter is relatively hard and cohesive and has unfavourable tenderness Insufficient tenderness of this type of meat, unlike other species, is due to the high level of connective tissue proteins, as well as the higher thermal resistance of horse muscle collagen [4,6,9]. In terms of sensory properties, horsemeat does not differ significantly from the meat of other slaughter animals This meat has a sweetish smell and aftertaste, mainly due to the high glycogen content in muscle tissue and due to the presence of amino acids such as glycine and alanine [4,6]. Taking into account the above information, the aim of the publication was to systematize the knowledge and to discuss the research and development work carried out in the field of horsemeat quality and selected methods contributing to the improvement of the properties of this raw material
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