Putting the Spring back into the Hare (<i>Pedetes capensis</i>): Meat Chemical Composition of an Underutilized Protein Source
Alternative protein sources are gaining increasing global attention as a solution to address future protein demands. Determining the chemical composition of meat alternatives is vital to confirm that it is nutritious, but also to increase product value and promote its utilization. The carcass charac...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-08-01
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| Series: | Foods |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/8/1096 |
| _version_ | 1797558898643697664 |
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| author | Sara Wilhelmina Erasmus Louwrens Christiaan Hoffman |
| author_facet | Sara Wilhelmina Erasmus Louwrens Christiaan Hoffman |
| author_sort | Sara Wilhelmina Erasmus |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Alternative protein sources are gaining increasing global attention as a solution to address future protein demands. Determining the chemical composition of meat alternatives is vital to confirm that it is nutritious, but also to increase product value and promote its utilization. The carcass characteristics and chemical composition of springhare, an underutilized protein source, was found to be comparable to that of commercially reared rabbits. Hence, its introduction into the commercial supply chain would likely not offset consumers accustomed to purchasing rabbit/hare meat. Springhare meat had a high protein content (~22.5 g/100 g meat) and low lipid (<1.3 g/100 g meat) content. The meat’s fatty acids mainly comprised C18:2<i>n</i>6c (γ-linoleic acid; 24%), C18:0 (stearic acid; 20%), C16:0 (palmitic acid; 19%), C20:4<i>n</i>6 (arachidonic acid; 15%) and C18:1<i>n</i>9c (oleic acid; 13%). Although sex did not significantly influence the carcass characteristics and meat composition, season did have an effect (<i>p</i> < 0.05) on the fatty acid profile. The meat harvested in summer had higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) concentrations of favorable unsaturated fatty acids, C18:2<i>n</i>6c, C18:3<i>n</i>6, C18:3<i>n</i>3 (α-linolenic acid), C20:2<i>n</i>6 (eicosadienoic acid), C20:3<i>n</i>3 (eicosatrienoic acid), compared to the meat obtained in winter, which contained more (<i>p</i> < 0.05) saturated fatty acids. The results verify that springhare can be utilized as a viable alternative protein source. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:37:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b9036ece1f9245e08e238385fabeeadc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2304-8158 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T17:37:51Z |
| publishDate | 2020-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Foods |
| spelling | doaj.art-b9036ece1f9245e08e238385fabeeadc2023-11-20T09:48:51ZengMDPI AGFoods2304-81582020-08-0198109610.3390/foods9081096Putting the Spring back into the Hare (<i>Pedetes capensis</i>): Meat Chemical Composition of an Underutilized Protein SourceSara Wilhelmina Erasmus0Louwrens Christiaan Hoffman1Food Quality and Design Group, Wageningen University and Research, P.O. Box 17, 6700 AA Wageningen, The NetherlandsDepartment of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, University of Stellenbosch, Private Bag X1, Matieland 7602, South AfricaAlternative protein sources are gaining increasing global attention as a solution to address future protein demands. Determining the chemical composition of meat alternatives is vital to confirm that it is nutritious, but also to increase product value and promote its utilization. The carcass characteristics and chemical composition of springhare, an underutilized protein source, was found to be comparable to that of commercially reared rabbits. Hence, its introduction into the commercial supply chain would likely not offset consumers accustomed to purchasing rabbit/hare meat. Springhare meat had a high protein content (~22.5 g/100 g meat) and low lipid (<1.3 g/100 g meat) content. The meat’s fatty acids mainly comprised C18:2<i>n</i>6c (γ-linoleic acid; 24%), C18:0 (stearic acid; 20%), C16:0 (palmitic acid; 19%), C20:4<i>n</i>6 (arachidonic acid; 15%) and C18:1<i>n</i>9c (oleic acid; 13%). Although sex did not significantly influence the carcass characteristics and meat composition, season did have an effect (<i>p</i> < 0.05) on the fatty acid profile. The meat harvested in summer had higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) concentrations of favorable unsaturated fatty acids, C18:2<i>n</i>6c, C18:3<i>n</i>6, C18:3<i>n</i>3 (α-linolenic acid), C20:2<i>n</i>6 (eicosadienoic acid), C20:3<i>n</i>3 (eicosatrienoic acid), compared to the meat obtained in winter, which contained more (<i>p</i> < 0.05) saturated fatty acids. The results verify that springhare can be utilized as a viable alternative protein source.https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/8/1096alternative proteinsspringhareunderutilized animal-based foods |
| spellingShingle | Sara Wilhelmina Erasmus Louwrens Christiaan Hoffman Putting the Spring back into the Hare (<i>Pedetes capensis</i>): Meat Chemical Composition of an Underutilized Protein Source Foods alternative proteins springhare underutilized animal-based foods |
| title | Putting the Spring back into the Hare (<i>Pedetes capensis</i>): Meat Chemical Composition of an Underutilized Protein Source |
| title_full | Putting the Spring back into the Hare (<i>Pedetes capensis</i>): Meat Chemical Composition of an Underutilized Protein Source |
| title_fullStr | Putting the Spring back into the Hare (<i>Pedetes capensis</i>): Meat Chemical Composition of an Underutilized Protein Source |
| title_full_unstemmed | Putting the Spring back into the Hare (<i>Pedetes capensis</i>): Meat Chemical Composition of an Underutilized Protein Source |
| title_short | Putting the Spring back into the Hare (<i>Pedetes capensis</i>): Meat Chemical Composition of an Underutilized Protein Source |
| title_sort | putting the spring back into the hare i pedetes capensis i meat chemical composition of an underutilized protein source |
| topic | alternative proteins springhare underutilized animal-based foods |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2304-8158/9/8/1096 |
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