Effects of Intramuscular Fat Levels on Sensory Characteristics of Duck Breast Meat

ABSTRACT We conducted a study to evaluate the ef-fects of intramuscular fat levels on the sensory characteris-tics of duck breast meat. Combining duck genotypes (Muscovy, Pekin, and their crossbreed hinny and mule ducks) and feeding levels (overfeeding between 12 and 14 wk of age vs. ad libitum feeding) enabled us to obtain a wide range of lipid levels in breast muscle. The average values were between 2.55 and 6.40 g per 100 g of muscle. Breast muscle from overfed ducks showed higher lipid and lower water levels than breast muscle from ducks fed ad libitum. Muscle from the overfed ducks was also paler in color and exhibited greater yellowness and cook-ing loss values. Juiciness was judged lower and flavor more pronounced in overfed ducks. Muscovy ducks ex-hibited higher breast weight and lower lipid levels than the other genotypes. At the other extreme, Pekin ducks exhibited the highest lipid levels and the lowest breast weights; values for these criteria were intermediate i