Abstract:
Rabbit meat has high nutritional and dietetic characteristics, but its consumption
rate is comparatively lower than other meat types. The nutritional profile of rabbit meat, by
comparison with beef, pork, and poultry, is attributed to relatively higher proportions of n-3
fatty acids and low amounts of intramuscular fat, cholesterol, and sodium, indicating its
consumption may provide health benefits to consumers. But, the quality attributes of rabbit
meat can be originated from different factors such as genetics, environment, diet, rearing
system, pre-, peri-, and post-slaughter conditions, and others. Different rabbit breeds and the
anatomical location of muscles may also affect the nutritional profile and physicochemical
properties of rabbit meat. However, adequate information about the effect of those two
factors on rabbit meat is limited. Therefore, cumulative information on nutritional
composition and carcass and meat quality attributes of rabbit meat in terms of different
breeds and muscle types and associated factors is more important for the production and
processing of rabbits. Moreover, some studies reported that rabbit meat proteins exhibited
angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory characteristics and antioxidant properties. The aim
of this review is to elucidate the determinants of rabbit meat quality of different breeds and its
influencing factors. In addition, the proven biological activities of rabbit meat are introduced
to ensure consumer satisfaction.
