1Laboratory of Environment, Health, and Animal Production (LESPA), Department of Veterinary Sciences, Institute of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Batna 1, 05000Batna, Algeria
2Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Nature and Life and Earth Sciences, University of Mohamed Khider, 07000Biskra, Algeria
3Department of Ecology, Faculty of Nature and Life And Earth Sciences and The Universe, University of 8 May 1945, 24000Guelma, Algeria
4Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Life and Natural Sciences, University of El-Oued. 39000El-Oued, Algeria
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Camel meat remains underutilised due to its inherent toughness. While marinades containing plant extracts and organic acids are used empirically, the specific effects of acetic acid alone or combined with ginger extract on camel meat quality traits remain underexplored. Furthermore, previous studies have relied primarily on physicochemical assessments without systematic histological validation. This study characterised the individual and combined effects of ginger extract (9%) and acetic acid (1%) on some physicochemical and histological properties of camel biceps femoris after 48 h marination at 4°C. Acetic acid alone markedly decreased pH (4.83), whereas ginger extract showed moderate acidification (5.40), with the combination exhibiting an intermediate value (5.15) (p < 0.05, Kendall’s W = 0.678). Cooking loss was highest in ginger-treated samples (47.05%) (p < 0.05, Kendall’s W = 0.395), while acetic acid-treated samples (36.00%) and the combination’s samples (37.94%) remained comparable to controls (33.25-35.53%) (p > 0.05). All marinades significantly increased brightness (L*) (Kendall’s W = 0.790), but redness (a*) was preserved only in ginger-containing treatments (p > 0.05). Yellowness (b*) increased exclusively with ginger (p < 0.05, W = 0.714). Histological measurements showed no significant differences in fibre diameter (Kendall’s W = 0.029) or extracellular space (Kendall’s W = 0.114) (all p > 0.05), despite qualitative evidence of structural modifications, notably muscle and collagen fibres disintegration. These effects are especially apparent in the ginger-marinated group, while mix marinades group displayed intermediate modifications, with less pronounced fragmentation. The ginger-acetic acid combination emerged as the most balanced formulation, achieving moderate acidification, preserved water-holding capacity, and stabilised colour. These findings establish a mechanistic basis for optimising camel meat quality and support sustainable protein diversification. Future research should validate sensory outcomes for industrial adoption.
Acetic acid, Biceps femoris, camel, ginger, histology, meat quality
