Effect of ageing on meat quality of the one humped camel (Camelus dromedarius)

A total of seven she-camels (3-4 years old) were slaughtered following the normal abattoir procedures in Khartoum state, Sudan. Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle samples were aged for 1, 3, 5, and 7 days at 1-3 degrees C. Chemical composition, muscle pH, drip loss (DL), water holding capacity (WHC), color, myosin heavy chain isoforms (MyHC) as well as lipid peroxidation (MDA) and vitamin E content were determined at the indicated times during ageing. Ageing time of LT muscle influenced significantly (P<0.001) chemical composition except ash. Dry matter and drip losses significantly increased while moisture and protein contents decreased during ageing, however, no differences were found in muscle pH, color, fat peroxidation and WHC although fat peroxidation tended to increase from 5 days of ageing onwards. Electrophoresis of MyHC isoforms indicated the presence of two muscle fiber types only: type I (64.1%) and type IIa (35.9 %), respectively. In conclusion, shelf life of camel meat could be extended in the presence of high levels of vitamin E which helps to maintain lipid stability.