Investigation of Protein Changes and Quality Attributes in Gobi Red Camel Meat during Postmortem Aging

This study investigated the changes in quality attributes and protein characteristics of Gobi red camel meat during post-slaughter maturation (0, 1, 3, 5, and 7 d). Quality parameters including pH, meat color, shear force, cooking loss, texture profile, and fatty acid composition were analyzed. Protein characteristics were evaluated through SDS-PAGE, total carbonyl content, sulfhydryl content, myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI), and myofibrillar protein secondary structure. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine relationships between maturation time and measured indices. The results showed that the pH exhibited a U-shaped trend, reaching its lowest point at 3 d. Shear force, hardness, and chewiness followed a similar pattern, peaking at 3 d. Cooking loss, L* (lightness), and a* (redness) initially increased before decreasing, while b* (yellowness) progressively increased to 14.36±1.29 at 7 d. Fatty acid composition showed dynamic changes. Saturated fatty acids (SFA) peaked at 5 d (47.08%±0.12%). Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) demonstrated a trough pattern. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased initially and then decreased, reaching 16.80%±0.13% by 5 d. Protein analysis revealed a progressive increased in total carbonyl content and MFI, along with a decline in sulfhydryl group content. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed the appearance of new protein bands at 3 d, and the intensity of these bands became more pronounced as the maturation time increased. Secondary structure transitions from α-helix and β-sheet were observed, conventing into irregular coils and β-turns. Correlation analysis revealed that maturation time exhibited a strong positive correlation with both total carbonyl content and MFI (P<0.001), while showing a highly significant negative correlation with β-sheet content and shear force (P<0.001). Conclusion, the optimal maturation period for camel meat was determined to be 3~5 d, when the meat exhibited its most favorable quality characteristics.