Quality characteristics of ostrich meat

Abstract

The quality of ostrich meat was evaluated according to final pH value, histological sections, collagen content and solubility, muscle-fibre diameter and sarcomere length, pigment content, cooking loss and water-binding capacity, shear-force value and taste-panel evaluation. Where possible, these values were compared with comparable values obtained from beef. The average final pH value of the ostrich meat was 6,06, indicating Dark, Firm and Dry (DFD) meat which may have resulted from the slaughtering of exhausted animals. Large intracellular vacuoles were found in histological sections, probably due to the slow freezing of the meat.