Comparative Analysis of Red and White Turkey Meat Quality

Objective: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate red and white turkey meat quality in Kazakhstan by analyzing its chemical, amino acid and vitamin composition. Materials and Methods: Red and white meat was assessed from 3-4 months-old (start of the fattening period) and 6-12 months-old (end of the fattening period) turkeys (N = 10 turkeys each). Amino acid and vitamin composition was quantified with a Shimadzu LC-20 Prominence liquid chromatography system. Results: White turkey meat was found to contain 11.4-12.0% fat, while red meat contained 20.3-21.7% fat. The protein content in white meat varied between 21.4-21.7% and 18.8-19.5% in red meat. Moreover, the amino acid composition of white turkey meat was richer in essential amino acids than the red Turkey meat. After the fattening period, a slight decrease in protein (-0.7%) and increase in fat (1.4%) content was observed in both red and white turkey meat. Conclusion: The fattening period is beneficial for enriching the level of essential amino acids in white and red turkey meats.