A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE PHYSICOCHEMICAL, FUNCTIONAL AND PROTEIN ELECTROPHORETIC PATTERN OF OSTRICH MEAT AND BEEF DURING FROZEN STORAGE

The interest for new and emerging meats is rapidly growing. Ostrich meat has many nutritional and functional properties that make it superior to other types of meats. The purpose of this research was to evaluate changes in physicochemical and functional properties of ostrich meats (m.iliofibularis) and beef (longissimus dorsi) during storage at 18C. Results showed that WarnerBratzler shear force values, colorimetric parameters (L*, a*, b*), pH and water-holding capacity significantly decreased by increasing storage time. Nitrogen solubility index increased after 3 months and decreased thereafter. Buffering capacity, emulsifying capacity, emulsifying stability, foaming stability and cooking loss increased during 6-month storage. Slight changes in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis pattern of myofibrillar proteins indicate protein denaturation followed by aggregation during prolonged frozen storage. Taken together, within the parameters of the present study, it is concluded that ostrich meat has superior functional attributes compared with beef initially and during the frozen storage. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Because of the superior quality and functional attributes of ostrich meat as compared with beef, the food industry should be aware of possible application of this excellent source of proteins to be included in human nutrition. To achieve this goal, ostrich meat should be evaluated in terms of possible alterations in different quality attributes during various processes, including prolonged frozen storage. In this work, changes in several functional properties of ostrich meat, especially those related to proteins are evaluated.