Carcass and Meat Differentiation of Burnt and Stripped Sheeps in Benin

Background and Objective: Post-mortem treatments, the cooling regime and the cutting method have a great influence on organoleptic quality of the meat such as the color and tenderness. The aim of this study was to evaluate meat quality of burnt sheep and stripped sheep in Benin. Material and Methods: Sixty samples of Longissimus dorsi, 30 burnt and 30 stripped Sahelian ewes in Cotonou slaughterhouse were used. Animals were all aged from 2-3 years and they were weighed before and after slaughter. Meat color, pH during 48 h post-mortem, loss of juice by cooking and tenderness were also measured. A sensory analysis (flavor, juiciness, tenderness and overall rating) of the boiled samples was carried out on small identical cubes of the meat. Results: The slaughtering lively weight and the hot carcass weight didn't vary from a type of dressing to another. Longissimus dorsi of burnt ewes has a lower red index, flavor and shear force than that of stripped (p<0.05). On the other hand, the initial and final pH and tenderness were higher in these same burnt. The juiciness and the water retention capacity didn’t vary from burnt to stripped ewes. Conclusion: The study on the carcass quality and technological and organoleptic quality of the ewes slaughtered at the Cotonou slaughterhouse showed the effect of the type of dressing on the quality of the meat. The burning technique seems to influence the yield of the hot carcass.