The effect of dry and wet aging of horse meat on color

Abstract

The color of horse meat may depend on several factors, including storage conditions, animal type and age, as well as meat processing methods. Studies aimed at comparing the color of dry aging and wet aging of horse meat have not been the subject of much scientific research. The purpose of the study is to study the effect of dry and wet aging of horse meat on color. The object of research is a boneless dorsal cut of horse meat. Meat samples were isolated 24 hours after slaughter and stored (2 ± 5 °C) in a dark place. Eight samples of horse meat were cut from a boneless dorsal cut, and then randomly distributed according to the periods and aging method. Two control samples - 1 day, three samples of dry aging – 14, 21, 28 days. Wet aging of horse meat was carried out in vacuum packed form in a refrigerated product storage chamber at a temperature of 2±1 °C and relative humidity of no more than 90% for 28 days. Instrumental color measurements were carried out on the L*, a* and b* scales using a Minolta colorimeter (Minolta CR-400, Osaka, Japan) installed with a D65 illuminator, viewing angle 2°. The differences in the indicator of Lightness L* in meat of dry and wet aging for 14 days were 1,785, at 21 days - 3,784 and 28 days - 10,754, in terms of Redness, a* 11,626 - at 14 days, 13.0841 and 15.1253 were 21 and 28 days, respectively. The difference in Blue, b* was 8.6054, 13.3676, 12.3517 for 14.21 and 28 days. The obtained color differences, ΔE* 17,1346, 21,192, 26,64 indicate that the method of aging of horse meat has a significant effect on its color.