Post-thawing colour changes in meat of foals as affected by feeding level and post-thawing time

The aim of the present work was to investigate how chromatic properties of foal meat can vary after thawing out in relation to the feeding level of 11 months old horses and to the post-thawing time. Thirty-six Italian Heavy Draught Horse (IHDH) foals were used for the trial. They were subdivided in three groups according feeding level: low = 150%, medium = 180%, and high = 200% of the energy maintenance requirements. Two different surfaces were investigated for each sample: daily renewed cutting surface (DRCS) and not-renewed cutting surface (NRCS). Lightness was fell on both surfaces with the increasing of feeding level (P < 0.01). The redness of both the investigated surfaces increased with feeding level (P < 0.01), while yellowness decreased (P < 0.05). Because consumers prefer meat that is light and has a low intensity of redness, from a chromatic perspective the thawed meat of IHDH foals fed with a low feeding level proved to be that which best meets the market requirements.