Impact of Brassica and Lucerne Finishing Feeds and Intramuscular Fat on Lamb Eating Quality and Flavor. A Cross-Cultural Study Using Chinese and Non-Chinese Australian Consumers

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry 2016-09, Vol.64 (36), p.6856-6868
• Main Authors: Frank, Damian, Watkins, Peter, Ball, Alex, Krishnamurthy, Raju, Piyasiri, Udayasika, Sewell, James, Ortuño, Jordi, Stark, Janet, Warner, Robyn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Feed; Animals; Asian Continental Ancestry Group; Australia; Brassica; Cooking; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Female; Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; Humans; Male; Medicago sativa; Odorants - analysis; Poaceae; Red Meat - analysis; Sheep, Domestic; Taste; Volatile Organic Compounds - analysis
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.6b02018

Use of forage brassicas (Brassica napus) and lucerne (alfalfa; Medicago sativa) as ruminant feeds has been linked to unacceptable flavors in sheepmeat. Lambs from low and high intramuscular fat sires were allocated to one of four finishing feedsperennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne), lucerne, and two brassica foragesfor a 6 week period. Grilled loins (Longissimus thoracis et lumborum) were subjected to chemical and sensory analysis by a trained panel and also evaluated by non-Chinese and Chinese background Australian consumers. Consumer liking was similar for both groups, and liking was highest for the brassica- and lucerne-finished lamb, especially from high intramuscular fat sires. No evidence of a distinctive lucerne- or brassica-induced flavor taint was measured by the trained panel or gas chromatography–mass spectrometry–olfactometry. The diets influenced the composition of lipids and branched-chain fatty acids in the subcutaneous fat, and the concentration of total branched-chain fatty acids was positively correlated with flavor and overall liking. Significantly higher levels of key aroma volatiles were measured in the higher fat samples.