Fallow deer (Dama dama) are important meat producing species providing venison and other products to an international market. The present study investigated the effects of different feed rations on the growth, carcass characteristics and physical attributes of the longissimus lumborum (LL) and semitendinosus (SET) muscles of 45 farm-raised male fallow deer. The animals were divided into three separate groups: 15 pasture-fed (P), 15 pasture-fed and supplemented with barley (B), and 15 pasture-fed and supplemented with barley and lysine (BL). The animals were slaughtered at an average age of 17 months at three time points: after 155, 169 and 183 days on feed. The addition of barley to the feed ration significantly increased weight gain and had positive effects on slaughter and carcass weights, dressing-out proportion, carcass composition, the weight of LL muscle, and increased the redness, yellowness and chroma values of LL muscle. The supplementation with lysine reduced the amounts of carcass and internal fats without compromising other economically important traits.

The chemical characteristics (proximate composition, amino acids, and fatty acids) and sensory quality of the longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle of 45 farmed male fallow deer were investigated. The animals were divided into three separate groups (n = 15 per treatment): pasture-fed (P), pasture-fed and supplemented with barley (B), and pasture-fed and supplemented with barley and lysine (BL). Differences were observed in LL moisture and the intramuscular fat contents, the latter being almost two-fold greater in the meat of B and BL groups compared to P. The concentrations of histidine, leucine, alanine, glutamic acid and glycine in the raw meat were higher in the BL group compared to the P group. Higher contents of n–3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and consequently lower n–3 ratios, were found in the P group, compared to the BL group. The grilled meat samples from the P group scored higher than the other groups for grassy flavour, and lower for liver flavour.

The main aim of this study was to determine selected quality indicators of non-traditional types of leafy vegetables. Mizuna (Brassica rapa japonica), Chinese mustard (Brassica juncea), edible chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium) and arugula (Eruca sativa) belonged among the selected species of vegetables. During the one-year experiment, spring and autumn sowing was carried out for these species of vegetables. The measured quality parameters were the content of nitrates and ascorbic acid. Sampling was done in the morning and in the laboratory, the samples were further processed according to the type of determination. To determine the content of nitrates and ascorbic acid, leaves were removed from plants. The filtrate from the leaves was then prepared. Determination of nitrates and ascorbic acid was carried out using a special test strip and device Rqflex plus 10. The results of measurement of both sowing varieties were compared. Total nitrate content was higher up to 22% in plants sown in the autumn except edible chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium). The highest content was recorded in arugula (Eruca sativa), which was recently implemented to the studies of the European Union and for which there were set the limits of nitrates. Overall, the nitrate content ranged from 221 to 334 ppm in spring varieties and from 249 to 384 mg/kg in autumn varieties. Ascorbic acid content was very high in Chinese mustard (Brassica juncea), edible chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum coronarium) and arugula (Eruca sativa) in both spring and autumn varieties. Values of ascorbic acid ranged from 839 in autumn sowing up to 2909 mg/kg in spring sowing. These non-traditional types of leafy vegetables could be included among the other importants sources of vitamin C in the future.

Ageing is a key post-mortem process affecting beef quality; however, alternative fat-coating methods remain insufficiently understood. This study compared wet ageing (WA), dry ageing (DA), butter ageing (BA), and tallow ageing (TA) in terms of their effects on physicochemical, technological, and sensory characteristics. Longissimus lumborum muscles from Fleckvieh heifers were aged for 50 days under controlled conditions: WA samples were vacuum-packed, DA samples were stored bone-in, and BA and TA samples were coated with butter or rendered tallow. Instrumental quality analyses and descriptive sensory evaluation by a trained panel were performed. Ageing significantly improved tenderness in all treatments, reducing the Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) from 55.8 N in fresh meat to 35.1–39.9 N after 50 days of ageing. However, tenderness did not differ significantly among the ageing methods. Meanwhile, pH increased and myofibrillar fragmentation progressed during ageing. The BA and TA samples exhibited higher scores for sour and atypical sensory notes. DA samples were also perceived as juicier than the other treatments. Overall, although all methods produced acceptable tenderness, conventional ageing, particularly dry ageing, provided superior sensory quality. Utilising butter or tallow coating during beef ageing did not enhance flavour development, and may negatively affect sensory profiles.