Influence of dietary inclusion of tannin extracts from mimosa, chestnut and tara on volatile compounds and flavour in lamb meat

Tannins are compounds able to form complexes with proteins limiting their ruminal degradation and thus the synthesis of some odour-active compounds may be inhibited. Tannins are broadly divided in condensed tannins (CT) and hydrolysable tannins (HT). The study aimed to assess the influence of dietary inclusion of three commercial tannin extracts, namely mimosa (Acacia mearnsii; CT), chestnut (Castanea sativa; HT) or tara (Caesalpinia spinosa; HT) on volatile profile and flavour of meat and kidney fat from lambs. Comisana male lambs were divided into four groups (n = 9 each) and fed for 75 days with a concentrate-based diet (CON) or CON supplemented with 4% of one of the tannin extracts. Tannins reduced pastoral odour in perirenal fat of lambs the meat of which was characterized by a very low perception of this attribute. It may be assumed that p-cresol and 8-methylnonanoic acid mostly contributed to pastoral odour expression in the diet without condensed or hydrolysable tannins.

Automated summary

Tannins have the ability to form complexes with proteins, limiting their degradation and thus inhibiting the synthesis of certain odour-active compounds. Different types of tannins can influence the volatile profile and flavour of meat, with tannin extracts reducing pastoral odour in lamb meat.