Determinants of Meat Quality: A Review of Pre-Slaughter, Biochemical and Compositional Factors

This review is aimed at synthesizing the current understanding of the determinants of meat quality, a multifaceted concept encompassing organoleptic and nutritional characteristics that drive consumer acceptability. The core attributes of tenderness, flavour, juiciness and colour are examined in detail, highlighting their biochemical and physiological underpinnings. Crucially, the review elucidates how these qualities are not fixed but are significantly modulated by a range of pre-slaughter factors. A primary focus is the impact of production systems, where nutrition (e.g., pasture versus concentrate-finishing) directly influences marbling, fatty acid profiles and muscle metabolism, thereby affecting palatability and nutritional value. Beyond diet, the review critically assesses the roles of animal growth rate, age at slaughter and breed type. Evidence indicates that faster growth rates and younger slaughter ages generally improve tenderness by reducing the stability and cross-linking of connective tissue. The intrinsic biochemical properties of muscle, including metabolic enzyme activity and fibre-type composition (e.g., oxidative Type I vs. glycolytic Type II fibres), are also explored for their profound influence on post-mortem proteolysis, colour stability and ultimate eating quality. By integrating findings across these domains, this review provides a comprehensive overview of the complex interactions between management practices, animal physiology and muscle biology that collectively dictate the quality of meat, offering a foundation for future research and industry application.