Antonio Natalello a, Ruggero Menci a, Giuseppe Luciano a,*, Frank Monahan b, Rufielyn S. Gravador b , Bernardo Valenti c, Mariano Pauselli c, Gianni Belvedere d ,Manuel Scerra e, Alessandro Priolo a
a University of Catania, Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A), Via Valdisavoia 5, Catania 95123, Italy
b School of Agriculture and Food Science, University College Dublin, Dublin 4, Ireland
c University of Perugia, Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali (DSA3), Borgo XX Giugno 74, Perugia 06123, Italy
d CoRFiLaC, Regione Siciliana, s.p. 25 km 5 Ragusa Mare, Ragusa 97100, Italy
e University of Reggio Calabria, Dipartimento di Agraria, Produzioni Animali, Via dell’Università, 25, Reggio Calabria 89124, Italy
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the effect of the dietary inclusion of whole pomegranate by-product (WPB) on lamb flavour.
Seventeen Comisana male lambs (body weight 14.82 kg ±2 kg) were assigned to 2 treatments. During 36-day
feeding trial, the control group (n =8) received a conventional concentrate diet; the other group (n =9) received
a concentrate diet containing 200 g/kg (dry matter) of WPB, replacing part of barley and corn. After slaughter,
fatty acids were determined in raw meat, while volatile organic compounds, SMart nose, and sensory traits were
analysed in cooked meat. The concentrations of total polyunsaturated fatty acids, vaccenic and rumenic acid
were higher in WPB meat. Most of volatile compounds that arise from lipid degradation (i.e., aldehydes, alcohols,
ketones, and hydrocarbons) were found at higher concentrations in the WPB meat than in the control, except for
2-pentanone that was greater in control meat. Although SMart nose clearly discriminated between dietary
treatments, consumer panel did not detect differences in meat flavour.
Keywords:
Volatile aroma compounds
Electronic nose
Meat odour
PCA
Meat quality
Sensory evaluation
Corresponding author.
E-mail address: giuseppe.luciano@unict.it (G. Luciano).
