Horse carcass and meat quality – current knowledge and research gaps

Abstract

Horsemeat can be considered a good alternative for conventional meats due to its potential dietetic and health benefits linked with its specific nutritional composition. The aim of this review was to provide information on the carcass and meat quality of horses, as well as methods for their examination based on currently available scientific literature in order to expand knowledge in this field and determine the direction of future research. The most important horse carcass quality indicators are the carcass conformation and carcass fat cover, while the most important horsemeat quality traits are pH, colour, water-holding capacity and texture. However, more research is needed to establish a classification system for horse carcasses as well as threshold values for colour and water-holding capacity traits that might be used for horsemeat classification into quality classes.