Abstract:

In this paper, the eating quality and nutritional components of heart from F1 crossbreeds of Angus
cattle×Qinchuan cattle from Zhongwei, Ningxia autonomous region, × Hexi yellow cattle from Zhangye, Gansu province
and × Xiangxi yellow cattle from Lianyuan, Hunan province were analyzed. The color of heart from Angus × Qinchuan,
Angus ×Hexi yellow and Angus × Xiangxi yellow crossbreeds was normal, dark red, and the shear force was 16.17, 17.54
and 16.76 N, cooked meat percentage 71.36%, 60.15% and 72.84%, water loss 15.77%, 29.37% and 19.51%, protein content
20.46, 16.28 and 17.79 g/100 g, fat content 3.69, 3.44 and 2.42 g/100 g, ash content 1.10, 0.76 and 1.01 g/100 g, respectively.
For all the three crossbreeds, some amounts of macro- and micro-elements were detected in heart. Although they exhibited
differences in the eating quality and nutritional quality of heart, all these crossbreeds had excellent advantages in terms
of tenderness, chewiness, processing performance and nutritional components such as high protein, low fat and abundant
minerals and accordingly could provide a high-quality meat resource.

Key words: cattle heart, eating quality, nutritional components