The effect of citric acid, NaCl, and CaCl2 on qualitative changes of horse meat in cold storage

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to analyze the effect of citric acid, NaCl, and CaCl2 on the qualitative changes of horse meat during cold storage. The study material was the longest dorsal muscles (M. longissimus dorsi (LM)) obtained from twelve half-carcasses of horses. The muscle was cut into five steaks, each of which was about 3 cm thick. One sample was kept as a control sample, and the remaining ones were treated with NaCl, citric acid, and CaCl2 (0.2 M and 0.3 M). The study material was obtained 24 h after the slaughter of the animals and was marinated in solution (citric acid and 0.2 M and 0.3 M calcium chloride) and by sprinkling and rubbing (sodium chloride). The applied treatments significantly (p ≤ 0.05) improved the texture parameters of horse meat (univariate analysis of variance). Citric acid caused deterioration of the study material with respect to the binding and retention of intrinsic water. Among the tested material, the lightest color of the meat was obtained for sample marinated in 0.3 M CaCl2. However, the darkest color of the meat was obtained after the addition of NaCl.