Effects of Intramuscular Fat Levels on Sensory Characteristics of Duck Breast Meat

We conducted a study to evaluate the effects of intramuscular fat levels on the sensory characteristics of duck breast meat. Combining duck genotypes (Muscovy, Pekin, and their crossbreed hinny and mule ducks) and feeding levels (overfeeding between 12 and 14 wk of age vs. ad libitum feeding) enabled us to obtain a wide range of lipid levels in breast muscle. The average values were between 2.55 and 6.40 g per 100 g of muscle. Breast muscle from overfed ducks showed higher lipid and lower water levels than breast muscle from ducks fed ad libitum. Muscle from the overfed ducks was also paler in color and exhibited greater yellowness and cooking loss values. Juiciness was judged lower and flavor more pronounced in overfed ducks. Muscovy ducks exhibited higher breast weight and lower lipid levels than the other genotypes. At the other extreme, Pekin ducks exhibited the highest lipid levels and the lowest breast weights; values for these criteria were intermediate in hinny and mule ducks. Breast muscle of Muscovy ducks was paler, less red, and more yellow than that of other genotypes. Breast muscle of Pekin ducks exhibited the lowest values for lightness, yellowness, and energy necessary to shear meat, as well as the highest cooking loss values, and was judged more tender, juicy and less stringy than that of other genotypes. In contrast, scores for breast muscle of Muscovy ducks were the lowest for tenderness, juiciness, and flavor, and the highest for stringiness. Breast muscle of hinny and mule ducks scored the highest values for redness. Hinny ducks also scored the highest values for flavor. Genotype exerted a higher effect on the sensory quality of breast muscle than did feeding levels. Finally, increasing lipid levels in breast muscle increased lightness, yellowness, cooking loss, tenderness, and flavor, with correlation coefficients of 0.49, 0.47, 0.54, 0.43, and 0.28, respectively. However, breast meat color and tenderness were mainly influenced by genotype.