Development and sensory evaluation of rabbit meat marinade formulations with additive reduction: physicochemical and textural properties

Abstract

Objective: The study evaluated the effect of different levels of liquid marination and phosphate on several physicochemical and textural parameters, product preference, and sensory characteristics of rabbit meat during storage.

Methodology: Six formulations of rabbit meat were tested over storage periods of 1, 8, and 15 days, during which evaluation physicochemical properties were analyzed.

Results: The physicochemical parameters included pH (6.0 – 6.6), acidity (0.35 – 0.65%), and texture (hardness, 1.85 – 3.23 N). Sensory evaluation was conducted to assess characteristics of roasted rabbit meat, such as white appearance and raw texture, among other attributes.

The results revealed significant differences (p<0.05) among formulations in physicochemical properties, particularly in texture and acidity. Sensory characteristics were generally similar, except for white appearance (p<0.01) and raw texture (p<0.05).

Limitations: The study was limited to assessing only three periods of storage (1, 8 and 15 days), which may not reflect the long-term effects of marinated rabbit meat.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the feasibility of producing marinated rabbit meat with reduced additive content, effectively lowering production costs while maintaining quality and sensory attributes.