TENDERNESS ANALYSIS AND CONSUMER SENSORY EVALUATION OF OSTRICH MEAT FROM DIFFERENT MUSCLES AND DIFFERENT AGING TIMES

Six ostrich carcasses were split and aged for 1 h, I day, or I week, r oasted to 75C and evaluated for tenderness and sensory attributes. She ar values for aged ostrich meat were 10.1, 10.0, 10.0 and 14.1 kg/g fo r I h, I day, I week, and the beef control, respectively. The most ten der ostrich muscles identified were: M. iliofibularis, M. iliofemorali s, and M. oburatorius lateralis. Tenderness was affected by fiber orie ntation of the meat after slicing. Shear values were higher (p < 0.05) for the longitudinal fiber orientation (11.5 kg/g) compared with the transverse fiber orientation (7.4 kg/g). A 9-point hedonic scale and a consumer sensory panel were used to evaluate tenderness, flavor and o verall acceptance of selected cuts. Ostrich meat aged for I week provi ded higher (p < 0.05) liking scores for flavor compared with lesser ag ed ostrich or the beef control. This study suggests that prepared ostr ich meat provides a good alternative compared with a similar beef prod uct.