Goat Meat: Production and Quality Attributes.

Goat meat could be a sustainable source of red meat. Its farming requires minimal input, is suitable for free-range farming, and produces a healthier red meat option as it is lean. Although goat meat has advantages for meat production, it still needs to be established as a valuable part of the meat trade market. But, currently, goat meat production is less specialized; there is less intense breed selection for premium meat production, and often the animals are farmed with a multifunctional purpose, such as for their meat, fiber, and milk. The less structured goat meat industry contributes to the inconsistent quality of goat meat. This paper attempts to describe the characteristics of popular goat breeds and indigenous goats as a source of meat and the potential of various goat breeds for meat production. Additionally, this paper presents goat meat's quality and physicochemical and sensory attributes that are relevant to understanding the unique attributes of goat meat. Much work is needed for the goat meat processing industry to develop its potential.

Physicochemical and quality characteristics of New Zealand goat meat and its ultrastructural features.

This study investigated the quality characteristics, physicochemical indexes and ultrastructure of New Zealand goat meat. The goat meat samples were sourced from New Zealand feral goats and Boer crossbreeds. Rawlongissimus thoracis(LT) andsemimembranosus(SM) muscles were evaluated after 48 hr of post-mortem storage at 4 °C. The cooked meat characteristics were studied after sous vide cooking at 60 °C for 6 h. Meat samples from both goat breeds exhibited intermediate pH values in the range of 5.76 and 5.98. Feral goat meat had higher collagen with lower solubility compared to Boer crosses. All the samples had high peak shear force from 62.1 to 87.3 N, and the variations were highly influenced by pH (p < 0.01) and collagen content (p < 0.05) and are dependent on muscle type (p < 0.01). For color, meat from feral and Boer varies significantly for redness (p < 0.01). Transmission electron micrographs from all samples revealed short sarcomeres ranging from 1.4 to 1.8 µm. Some super contracted muscle fibers were also observed, suggesting that muscles have undergone severe cold-shortening. Our findings indicate that regardless of genotype, the challenge for goat meat quality is its inherently high pH and its susceptibility to cold-shortening that impacts its technological properties.