EFFECT OF COOKING TEMPERATURE ON WARNER - BRATZLER TENDERNESS MEASUREMENT IN RABBIT MEAT

The effects of final internal cooking temperature (50, 60, 65, 70, 80 and 90 °C) on Warner-Bratzler (WB) tenderness measurement of longissimus dorsi (LD) in 45 and 70-day-old rabbits were investigated. Increasing cooking temperature revealed a three-phase effect on WB measurement. At 50 °C, peak shear force, and total energy were high (60 ± 8 N and 971 ± 194 mJ). Afterwards, they dramatically decreased to a minimum observed at 65°C (9 ± 2 and 128 ± 29 mJ). After 80°C, peak shear force and total energy values were as high as at 50°C (55 ± 7 N and 682 ± 111 mJ). Cooking loss exhibited a 30 % increase between 60 and 80 °C in both groups of age. Peak shear force and total energy values were lower (40 % and 60 % respectively p<0.05) in 45 than in 70day-old LD samples. WB tenderness measurement differences between age groups were related to the differences in weight of the samples. This study indicates that increasing cooking temperature in the range 50 to 90°C, leads to a three-phase effect on rabbit meat texture which can be observed either in 45 or in 70-day old rabbits.