Abstract: The nutritional composition, physicochemical characteristics and microstructure of tenderloin, rib, hind leg and neck from male Sanfen donkeys were analyzed and compared with each other. The results showed that there were some differences in meat quality and nutritional composition among the four meat cuts. Among these, the hind leg meat had the highest protein content (P < 0.05), the linoleic acid content in the tenderloin meat was the lowest (P < 0.05), while the neck meat contained lower myristic and palmitoleic acid contents and higher arachidonic acid content (P < 0.05). For all cuts, the ratio of unsaturated to saturated fatty acids (UFA/SFA) was greater than 1, and the fatty acid composition was composed mainly of unsaturated fatty acids. The rib and tenderloin meat had higher protein nutritional value, while the tenderloin and hind leg meat had a redder color and smaller fiber diameter (P < 0.05), being more tender. The cross-sectional microstructure of rib and neck muscle tissues showed the presence o lumpy aggregates, while hind leg and tenderloin muscle tissues showed a honeycomb-like structure. The hind leg meat had the highest total sensory score (P < 0.05) and was more popular among consumers. In conclusion, this study shows that there are some differences in the meat quality of different carcass cuts in donkeys, which will provide a theoretical reference for the processing of different grades of donkey meat.

Key words: Sanfen donkey meat; meat quality; nutrients; physicochemical properties