Relationship between circulating levels of cortisol at slaughter and changes of some parameters of the camel meat during ageing

Rabab Tabite, Abdelilah Lemrhamed; Najia El Abbadi; Abderrahmane Belhouari; Bernard Faye; Mohammed El Khasmi

doi:10.9755/ejfa.2019.v31.i11.2031

Authors

Rabab Tabite, Abdelilah Lemrhamed Laboratory of Physiopathology and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Sciences Ben M’Sik, University Hassan II of Casablanca, PB 7955 Sidi Othmane, Casablanca, Morocco
Najia El Abbadi Unit of Radio-Immuno-Analysis/Division of Life Sciences, National Center for Energy, Science and Nuclear Techniques, PB 1382 RP 10001, Rabat, Morocco
Abderrahmane Belhouari Laboratory of Ecology and Environment, Faculty of Sciences Ben M’Sik, University Hassan II of Casablanca, PB 7955 Sidi Othmane, Casablanca, Morocco
Bernard Faye FAO/CIRAD-ES, Campus International de Baillarguet, TA C/dir B 34398 Montpellier, France
Mohammed El Khasmi Laboratory of Physiopathology and Molecular Genetics, Faculty of Sciences Ben M’Sik, University Hassan II of Casablanca, PB 7955 Sidi Othmane, Casablanca, Morocco

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.9755/ejfa.2019.v31.i11.2031

Abstract

Relationship between serum levels of cortisol at slaughter and changes of some parameters of meat was investigated in 50 male camels, during ageing for 10 days at 4±1°C. Blood was sampled at slaughter to determine serum levels of cortisol and oblique abdominal external muscle was collected after slaughter to analyze pH, electrical conductivity (EC), drip loss (DL), cooked loss (CL), moisture, solids, ashes, protein total, calcium (Ca), phosphorus (Pi), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), catalase activiry (CATa), malondialdehyde (MDA), shrinkage, R-value and total haem pigment (THP) at days 0 (four hours postmortem), 5 and 10 of refrigerated storage. The camels were divided into 3 groups (Gr) with different serum levels of cortisol at slaughter (low, high and very high levels): Gr1 (13.07-67.9 ng/mL, n= 24), Gr2 (80.29-107.21 ng/mL, n= 7) and Gr3 (133.7-198.04 ng/mL, n= 19). Compared to Gr1, Gr2 and Gr3 had a significant (P<0.05) increase of pH, EC, DL, CL, THP, dimensional shrinkage and MDA, and a significant (P<0.05) decrease of CATa at the 5^th and 10^th postmortem days. However, the bleeding efficiency, moisture, ashes, R-value and levels of Ca, Pi, Na, K and total protein showed no significant differences between twoo cortisol groups. The antemortem circulating levels of cortisol were positively correlated with postmortem pH, EC, DL, CL, THP, dimensional shrinkage and MDA, and negatively correlated with CATa. The analysis of circulating cortisol at slaughtering may predict the quality and oxidant stress status of camel meat during postmortem cold storage.