Effects of feeding regimen and chilled storage on water-holding capacity, colour stability, pigment content and oxidation in red deer (Cervus elaphus) meat

The effects of feeding regimen on carcass characteristics, meat colour and lipid stability, pigment content and water-holding capacity of M. longissimus were studied in 16 male red deer. All animals were farm raised; eight were grazing pasture and eight were fed a pelleted commercial feed mixture for 10 weeks prior to slaughter. The pellet-fed deer had significantly higher live weight, carcass weight, dressing yield (g kg-1) and fat content than the pasture group. Carcasses from the pellet-fed deer had higher temperatures over 0-10 h post mortem than carcasses from the grazing animals, probably due to an insulating fat cover. Ultimate pH values were lowest in meat from the pellet-fed deer. The meat from the grazing deer had significantly better colour stability at 1 day post-slaughter and after 1, 3 and 6 weeks of refrigerated storage (-1.5 °C) in vacuum bags. After 3, 6 and 12 weeks of refrigerated storage the meat from the pellet-fed deer had significantly higher drip loss. No difference was found in the amount of oxidation products (thiobarbituric reactive substances, TBARS) when comparing the treatment groups, although the amount of TBARS increased during storage. Muscle pigment content was significantly higher in grazing deer than in the pellet-fed group. It was not possible to confirm a correlation between lipid and pigment oxidation in the meat, and the pigment content of the meat samples did not seem to have an influence on colour stability or oxidation product formation.