Breed, slaughter weight and ageing time effects on sensory characteristics of lamb

The longissimus lumborum (right and left) from 180 entire male lambs were tasted by a nine-member trained taste panel. The samples were from lambs from three Spanish breeds; Rasa Aragonesa (local meat breed), Churra (local dairy breed) and Spanish Merino. Within breed, three slaughter live weights were considered (10-12, 20-22 or 30-32 kg) and meat was aged in a vacuum package for 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 days. Panellists assessed a total of eight descriptors. Lamb odour and lamb flavour intensities increased with slaughter weight. However, fat flavour intensity was significantly influenced by breed, with the highest score for Rasa Aragonesa. Off-flavour intensity was influenced by breed and ageing, with higher scores for Rasa Aragonesa and longer ageing times. Tenderness and juiciness were influenced by all three effects (P ⩽ 0.001, each) and there was a significant interaction between breed and slaughter live weight. Meat was juicier and more tender in the lightest Churra lambs, and in the Spanish Merino lambs for the heavier weight animals. Tenderness and juiciness increased with ageing. The best quality flavour was for the Spanish Merino and the intermediate and heavier lambs.