Shelf-life quality of rabbit meat under different storage conditions

The shelf-life quality of rabbit meat was investigated under different storage conditions. Samples were cleaned externally by skinning, scalding and singeing. Refrigeration and freezing were the preservation techniques employed, and the oxidative stability was determined using the thiobarbituric acid (TBARS) assay. Samples were analysed for pH and temperature change, and colour, odour and sliminess were evaluated sensorially. Results showed that the pH of refrigerated samples increased from 4 to 10 while that of freezer samples increased from 4 to 7. Temperature of freezer samples decreased from 0ºC to – 9ºC while that of refrigerated samples increased from 8ºC to 23ºC. Colour change, odour and sliminess were observed on refrigerated samples from the 9th to 11th day of storage whereas there was no odour and sliminess in freezer samples throughout the duration of the study, only slight colour change from pink to light pink was observed on the 13th day of freezer storage. Microbial load per gram of sample was higher in skinned than in singed sample, whereas the scalded sample had negligible microbial load. TBARS (thiobarbituric acid reaction substances) for refrigerated samples were higher compared to freezer samples, thus refrigerated samples were susceptible to oxidative rancidity and the development of warm-over flavour during storage. The poas muscles of rabbit meat had higher microbial load than the biceps femoris, and freezing as a storage technique tends to improve the keeping quality of rabbit meat compared to refrigeration. Key words: Shelf-life, quality, rabbit meat, storage conditions