Abstract:

In order to provide evidences for meat fresh-keeping, processing and breeding, color-difference and color alteration speed and model of meat were analyzed in carcass of yak and yellow cattle. The color-difference in muscle from different genders and locations of yak and yellow cattle was determined using a CR-400 chromatic aberration meter. The color alteration speed and its mathematical models between yak muscle and yellow cattle muscle in air were compared by variance analysis and curveestimation method with SPSS software. Results demonstrated that L*, a*, b*, chroma (H*) and color saturation (C*) values of meat-color were significantly difference (P < 0.01) between yak muscle and yellow cattle muscle from different genders and locations. All values in meat from yak were higher than those of meat from yellow cattle. Moreover, the color of meat from yak was redder and darker compared to that of yellow cattle. The mathematical models of L value for meat-color were Y = 25.34 + 1.79/X for yak and Y = 26.26 0.39X－0.01X2 (R2 = 0.958, P < 0.01) for yellow cattle. The mathematical models of C* and H* values for meat-color were Y = 14.91 + 1.43X－0.39X2 + 0.03X3 (R2 = 0.948, P < 0.01) and Y = 0.23 + 0.08X－0.02X2 + 0.002X3 (R2 = 0.996, P < 0.01) for yak, and Y = 11.60 + 3.64X－1.00X2 + 0.84X3 (R2 = 0.957, P < 0.01) and Y = 0.23 + 0.06X－0.01X2 + 0.001X3 (R2 = 0.994, P < 0.01) for yellow cattle, respectively. Therefore, a significant difference was exhibited in meat-color and color alteration pattern of muscle from yak and yellow cattle. Brightness, chroma and saturation of meat-color of yak were much better than those of yellow cattle, and color alteration speed in air of meat-color of yak was much lower compared with yellow cattle. However, the color-difference of muscle from different genders between yak and yellow cattle did not exhibit significance (P < 0.01).

Key words: yak, yellow cattle, meat-color, color difference meter