Sensory and rheological evaluation of meat from rabbits reared at different floor type and stocking density

Thirty-six weaned rabbits were used to test the effect of floor type (wire net vs straw bed) and stocking density (8 vs 12 vs 16 rabbits/m2) on meat quality, according to a balanced 2x3 experimental design. Rabbits were slaughtered at 11 weeks of age and both parts of M. Longissimus dorsi were dissected and used for sensory evaluation (tenderness, “rabbit flavour”, off-flavours), cooking losses, Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF) and Texture Profile Analysis (TPA) parameters. Sensory evaluation was performed by eighteen trained panelists according to a ranking test of intensity level of each descriptor. Each sample was evaluated by 3 panelists (108 observations). The panelists were asked to judge positively or negatively the “rabbit flavour” and to define each off-flavour perceived on a descriptors scale. Experimental factors didn’t affect the analysed variables. WBSF was significantly correlated (P<0.01) with TPA-hardness (R= 0.66), moderately correlated (P<0.05) with tenderness (R= -0.37) and “rabbit flavour” (R= -0.34). Tenderness was correlated with TPA-hardness and TPA-gumminess with R= -0.38 and P<0.05. The high rabbit’s flavour intensity was considered positive by the 72% of panelists. Off-flavours were detected on 46% of observations, judging freezer burned the 16%, livery the 13% and rancid the 11% of them. The off-flavour evaluation was independent to the “rabbit flavour” judgment, underlying the discrimination power of the selected off-flavours descriptors.