Influence of dietary cardoon meal on volatile compounds and flavour in lamb meat. (May 2020) - Del Bianco, Silvia
Abstract: Cardoon meal is a by-product retained after oil extraction from the seeds of cultivated Cynara cardunculus var. altilis that has been proposed as a valuable resource for animal feeding. The study aimed to assess the influence of its dietary inclusion on volatile profile and flavour of meat and kidney fat from lambs. Fifteen Sarda × Comisana male lambs were randomly divided in two groups and fed for 75 days with a concentrate-based diet containing 15% cardoon meal (CMD, n = 7) or dehydrated alfalfa (CON, n = 8). Cardoon meal inclusion reduced the "barnyard/animal" odour perceived by a trained panel in kidney fat, which could be associated with the aromatic compound p -cresol (4-methylphenol), detected only in CON diet. Considering the other aroma volatiles regarded as the main contributors for the characteristic lamb flavour, both diets were characterized by moderate to low levels of 4-methyloctanoic acid, skatole and indole while 4-methylnonanoic acid and 4-ethyloctanoic acid were not detected. Highlights: Cardoon meal is a by-product retained after oil extraction from the seeds. Cardoon meal was tested in total substitution of alfalfa in a concentrated-based diet. Cardoon meal reduced the "barnyard/animal" odour perceived in lamb kidney fat. p-cresol was detected only in fat from lambs fed with alfalfa diet. Cardoon meal inclusion had a limited effect on indoles and short branched-chain fatty acids.