Comparison of the Sensory Characteristics of Suckling Lamb Meat: Organic vs Conventional Production

Summary in the original language of the document

40 L. dorsi muscles from the left half carcass of suckling lambs raised under both organic and conventional systems were evaluated by a sixteen-member trained panel, following QDA methodology. After developing a common vocabulary for the evaluation of characteristics, 30 meat descriptors in raw and grilled meat were selected. Additionally,overall appreciation was evaluated by 140 consumers in a home-use test. The results obtained show that the appearance of the organic meat was more fibrous, darker, and with a lower aroma intensity than the conventional counterpart, but with no differences in homogeneity or juiciness. In grilled meat, the organic samples had less subcutaneous fat,less fatness, a less fibrous texture and less aroma intensity, but also less juiciness. Regarding overall appreciation, the consumers gave higher scores to the organically produced samples.