Comparative study of carcass traits, meat quality, and flavor compounds in Chinese geese with different genotypes and genders

Goose meat is a highly nutritious food, rich in essential nutrients. It also has a distinctive aroma and flavor that differentiates it from other poultry and livestock. The present study analyzed the effects of genotype (White Chinese geese, WCG; and Grey Chinese geese, GCG) and gender (male and female) on carcass traits, meat quality, oxidative stability, and flavor-related volatile compounds. Results showed that both genotype and gender significantly (P < 0.05) influenced carcass and meat quality. WCG exhibited higher chilled carcass weight than GCG, while males had greater carcass weights and dressing percentages than females. Female geese and WCG showed higher fat content in both breast and thigh muscles, which corresponded with elevated thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) values, indicating greater lipid oxidation. The analysis on the volatile compounds identified 19 aroma-active compounds, majorly contributed by alcohol and aldehyde. The e-tongue analysis showed all samples had similar taste attributes, with saltiness and umami were the stronger responses compared to other tastes. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) showed 70.91 % of total variance, showing high correlation between thigh muscle of female Chinese geese (FT) with 1-propanol, 2-methyl-, and the breast muscle of male Chinese geese (MB) with propanal and beta-pinene. In conclusion, both genotype and gender significantly influence carcass composition, meat quality, oxidative stability, and volatile compound profiles in Chinese geese. These findings provide valuable insight for improving goose meat quality, optimizing flavor characteristics, and tailoring production strategies to meet consumer preferences.