This study investigated the process optimization of sausage produced from rabbits. Response surface methodology was used to investigate the effect of cooking time (45-60 minutes), frying temperature ...(170-190 °C) and frying time (45-60 minutes) resulting into seventeen experimental runs. The rabbit meat was pre-cooked and frying was carried out using an electric deep fryer with a temperature control of ±10 °C. Proximate composition (moisture content, total ash, crude fat, crude fibre, crude protein and total carbohydrate content) colour (lightness, redness and yellowness) and textural properties (hardness, springiness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness and chewiness) was carried out on the sausage from rabbit meat using standard laboratory procedures. The moisture content, total ash, crude fat, crude fibre, crude protein and total carbohydrate content ranged from 56.98-59.64%, 0.93-5.92%, 13.41-17.18%, 0.32-2.41%, 12.53-15.60% and 5.37-9.41%. Also, the range of values for lightness, redness and yellowness were: 31.08-45.33, 2.58-6.83 and 10.31-20.32 respectively. However, cooking time, frying temperature and frying time had no significant (p>0.05) effect on hardness, springiness, adhesiveness, cohesiveness and chewiness respectively. The study shows that proximate composition and colour properties of sausage produced from rabbit meat were significantly affected by the independent variables (cooking time, frying temperature and frying time). However, the optimum condition of leading to desirable proximate composition, colour and textural properties is 45minutes of cooking time, 180 °C of frying temperature and 9 minutes of frying time.
Since the 1970s, in some European countries rabbit meat production has progressively become a highly specialized industry, which has made Europe the second (after China) largest rabbit meat producer ...in the world. However, the industry is currently facing a critical period due to structural weaknesses, progressive and constant reductions in consumption, and raising criticism related to welfare conditions and other ethical issues. This trend is questioning the future of the rabbit meat industry, which could lead to the loss of knowledge and technical expertise acquired over decades of major investments and research efforts (a valuable cultural and professional heritage for future generations). In the present review, we provide an overview of the rabbit meat industry, market and value chain, we depict consumer's attitude towards rabbit meat, highlighting strengths and weaknesses, and factors driving their current purchase behavior. Finally, we will attempt to outline possible strategies to ensure a sustainable future for the production of rabbits for commercial meat purposes.
•The rabbit can theoretically be considered an ideal meat-producing animal•Europe is the second largest world producer of rabbit meat•Specialized rabbit farming to produce meat is a cultural-professional heritage•Different issues are hampering the survival of specialized rabbit farming•Strategies to relaunch the rabbit meat sector are proposed and discussed
To facilitate the design of an optical detection system for assessing rabbit meat quality, nine rabbits of different ages, weights, and varieties were used to collect optical coefficients, ...compositions, and microstructures from external oblique muscle (EOM) and internal oblique muscle (IOM) samples to research the relationship between them. The results show that rabbit age had a significant influence (P < 0.05) on the absorption coefficient (μa) and the proportion of myoglobin in IOM and EOM, and the older the rabbits are, the greater the μa and the proportion of myoglobin are. Weight also significantly (P < 0.05) influenced the muscle fiber cross-sectional area. The age and weight had a significant (P < 0.05) impact on the reduced scattering coefficient (μs′). The linear fitting results between the relative proportion of myoglobin and the μa showed that the higher the myoglobin content is, the greater the μa is. The linear fitting results between the cross-sectional area of muscle fiber and the μs′ showed that the smaller the cross-sectional area of muscle fiber is, the greater the μs′ is. These results will be helpful to intuitively understand the working principle of spectral technology in meat quality detection.
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Rabbit meat has become increasingly popular in China; however, the main available products are still as cut-up parts or whole carcass due to a lack of processing. Currently, rabbit meat products do ...not fully meet the consumer demand for convenience, thus hindering the further development of the rabbit meat industry. As the biggest rabbit meat producer globally, China has conducted a series of studies on rabbit meat processing and the development of new products. This review presents rabbit breeds, meat importation, exportation, and meat production in China. The development of the rabbit meat industry and research on rabbit meat processing are discussed. The main problems, including a lack of leading enterprises and brand products, insufficient investment and research, and the weakness of fundamental studies on traditional products, are highlighted. Furthermore, current trends of rabbit meat production and processing of being centralized and regionalized, as well as being intelligentized and standardized, are discussed.
The effects of the retail display temperature (8 °C, 3 °C and − 1 °C) on the discoloration of the Longissimus thoracis et lumborum of rabbits and the associations among such effects with microbial ...spoilage, myoglobin autoxidation, lipid oxidation, and protein oxidation were investigated. The total aerobic count, total volatile basic nitrogen content, metmyoglobin content, protein carbonyl content, and contents of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances steadily increased during retail display. Moreover, the lightness and redness of the rabbit meat significantly (P < 0.05) declined over time, whereas the yellowness increased considerably (P < 0.05) with prolonged retail time. Canonical correlation analysis suggested that microbial spoilage, myoglobin autoxidation, lipid oxidation, and protein oxidation jointly affected rabbit meat color. Linear mixed models further revealed that microbial spoilage, myoglobin autoxidation, lipid oxidation and protein oxidation positively affected yellowness, and they inversely impacted lightness and redness.
•The effects of retail display temperatures (8°C, 3 °C and -1 °C) on the discoloration of rabbit meat were investigated.•Linear mixed models were used to estimate the relationship between color changes versus microbial spoilage and oxidation reactions.•Rabbit meat color was affected by myoglobin autoxidation, microbial spoilage, lipid oxidation, and protein oxidation during retail display.•-1 °C can be developed as a commercial retail temperature for rabbit meat.
Burger is a practical source of animal protein for consumers, sold both raw (ready-to-cook) and cooked (ready-to-eat), and can be an alternative to stimulate the consumption of rabbit meat, which is ...a source of healthy animal protein. This study evaluated the effects of different levels of oat bran addition on physicochemical properties and sensory acceptance of rabbit meat burgers. Burgers were formulated with 0, 5, 10, and 15% oat bran plus garlic and salt, then manually processed and analyzed for composition, technological parameters (pH, cooking loss, shrinkage percentage, water holding, texture, and color), and sensorial acceptance. The higher the levels of inclusion of oat bran, the lower the burger moisture (p < 0.0001). Burgers with 15% oat bran presented higher content of lipids and carbohydrates, thus higher caloric value (p < 0.0001). The loss of water during cooking was greater in the burger without the inclusion of oat bran (p < 0.05). No significant difference was found for color and aroma attributes. Overall acceptability was higher for burgers with 5% oat bran. Rabbit meat burgers containing oat bran may represent a viable alternative to improving their sensory and technological profiles and overall consumer acceptance.
This study investigated the effect of five different cooking methods (boiling, oven-roasting, grilling, pan-frying and microwave) on the topographical changes, fatty acids (FAs) profile, fat ...oxidation, physicochemical characteristics, microbial quality, and sensory attributes of rabbit meat. Among the cooking methods, boiling and pan-frying exhibited significant higher protein, fat and total volatile base nitrogen contents. Additionally, boiling induced the lowest fat oxidation and FAs saturation values, while microwave cooking induced the highest values. Boiling and microwave cooking received the lowest appearance, color and flavor scores, while grilling- and microwave-cooking obtained the highest tenderness and juiciness scores, along with the lowest shear force values. This study is the first concerning the topographical structure of cooked rabbit meat using the scanning electron micrographs, which revealed minimal destructive changes in muscle fibers and connective tissue in pan-fried cooked samples and greatest destructive effect in grilling-cooked samples. Oven-roasting is the best cooking method since it achieved both the health benefits and consumer acceptability.
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•This study is the first regarding the topographical structure of cooked rabbit meat.•Boiling exhibited the lowest moisture content, fat oxidation, and FAs saturation.•Grilled meat is the most tender and juicy with low shearing force and cooking loss.•From a health standpoint, oven cooking of rabbit meat is recommended than grilling.•Rabbit meat cooked by boiling or in microwave exhibited the lowest bacterial counts.
•Seven novel ACE inhibitory peptides were screened from rabbit meat proteins.•Two novel peptides (EACF and CDF) exhibited strong ACE inhibitory activities.•EACF was a competitive ACE inhibitor with ...IC50 value of 41.06 ± 0.82 µM.•CDF was a non-competitive ACE inhibitor with IC50 value of 192.17 ± 2.46 µM.•Virtual screening is a promising method for the discovery of bioactive peptides.
Bioactive peptides derived from food proteins have various physiological roles and have attracted increasing attention in recent years. In this study, two novel ACE inhibitory peptides (EACF and CDF), screened from rabbit meat proteins using in silico methods, exhibited strong inhibitory effects in vitro. EACF and CDF were competitive and non-competitive inhibitors with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations of 41.06 ± 0.82 µM and 192.17 ± 2.46 µM, respectively. Molecular docking experiments revealed that EACF established eight H-bond interactions in the S1 and S2 pockets, and a metal-acceptor interaction with Zn 701. CDF shared four H-bond interactions in the S1 pocket of ACE. The results suggested that rabbit meat proteins could be a suitable material for the preparation of ACE inhibitory peptides, and that virtual screening is an effective, accurate and promising method for the discovery of novel active peptides.
