Resumo:
This study aimed to compare the physicochemical characteristics, fatty acid composition, and 102 sensory attributes of the meat from three genetic groups: Nellore (Nell), ½ Nellore × ½ Angus 103 (NeAn), and ¼ Nellore × ¼ Angus × ½ Senepol (NASe). Longissimus lumborum muscle from 104 18 slaughtered bulls with a body weight of 549 ± 32.5 kg was used. The water holding capacity 105 was greater for the Nell and NeAn groups than for the NASe group. Meat samples from the 106 NASe group exhibited a higher L* index than those from the NeAn group and lower a* and b* 107 color indexes than those from the Nell group. The meat fatty acid profiles showed that the Nell 108 group had higher concentrations of 12:0, 14:0, 18:1 t11, 14:1 c9, 16:1 c9, 18:1 c9, 18:1 c11, 109 18:2 c9, t11 (conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)), and 20:3 n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) 110 than the NeAn and NASe groups. The total saturated (ΣSFA), unsaturated (ΣUFA), and 111 monounsaturated (ΣMUFA) fatty acid concentrations were higher and the ΣPUFA:ΣSFA ratio 112 was lower in the Nell group than in the NeAn group. The Δ9–desaturase C16 activity was 113 significantly higher in the Nell and NASe groups than in the NeAn group. The atherogenicity 114 index (AI) tended to be lower in the crossbreeds than in the Nell breed. The NASe group 115 presented meat with better tenderness, juiciness, and overall acceptance than the Nell and NeAn 116 groups and was therefore the best genetic group for beef production of the tested groups.
