Nutritional quality assessment of different muscles derived from 15-year-old female emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae): Meat physicochemical traits and sensory scores

The emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is considered a versatile farm species whose main by-products are meat and oil. At present, there is lack of information on the value of the meat of laying females at the end of their reproductive cycle which hampers the development of a specific market. To fill this gap, the present research aimed at studying the mineral composition, fatty acid profile, cholesterol level, selected physicochemical parameters and sensory quality of the meat of laying females at the end of their reproductive life cycles was carried out. The study should extend the knowledge on the application of this type of meat in food products as well as the available nutritional information on the muscles of female emus slaughtered at the end of their reproductive lives. The research material consisted of eight females slaughtered at the age of 15 years, at the end of their reproductive period. Following exsanguination, plucking and evisceration, the carcasses were cooled at 4°C for 24 h. After this time, five muscles were separated from both halfs of the carcases. The results showed that meat from 15-year-old females is of satisfactory nutritional quality. The rich mineral composition, high protein content, and low intramuscular fat and cholesterol contents deserve special emphasis. For this reason, the meat can be recommended for formulating healthy diets for humans. Its trading development is therefore expectable.