Effect of age on concentrations of nutrients in four muscles of the Sudanese dromedary (Camelus dromedaries) camel

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of age (3–4 and 6–7 years old) on concentration of amino acids, fatty acids, minerals, vitamins and collagen in the longissimus thoraces (LT), biceps femoris, semitendinosus and semimembranosus muscles of 12 Sudanese camels. There were significant effects of age and muscle type on moisture, fat and protein contents. The LT muscle had significantly (P <.05) higher fat than other muscles. The proportion of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids, which ranged from 1.0 to 1.07, was above the minimum ratio of 4.0 recommended to reduce the risk of coronary diseases in humans. The most abundant essential amino acid in camel muscles was lysine, followed by leucine, phenylalanine, Isoleucine, threonine and methionine. Muscles from 6- to 7-yearold camels had slightly higher insoluble collagen than those from 3- to 4-year-old camels. There was a general trend for mineral content of camel meat increasing with age with significant effect on Ca and Pb concentrations. The Sudanese camel meat is also an important source of several vitamins. This study indicated that concentrations of nutrients among muscles were affected by age and the knowledge of these factors allow for better marketing and processing of camel meat.