Horsemeat: increasing quality and nutritional value.

Equine meat, including horse and donkey species, is considered an alternative option for red meats’ consumers due to wholesomeness especially in terms of nutritional value. The present chapter shows the nutritional composition of this type of meat, is characterized by low levels of fat and cholesterol, relatively high concentrations of n-3 fatty acids and heme iron indicating that their consumption may be beneficial for human health. Foal is the most important equine slaughter category which guarantees high standard quality compared to adults. These foals come from crossbreeding of native breeds with horses for meat production and are slaughtered between 15 and 24-months-old. Foal carcass is dark with a covered degree of fatness giving a favourable organoleptic profile property on the meat. Livestock production system plays the most important factor affecting horsemeat quality as concerns nutritional value. Extensive feeding systems improve horsemeat fatty acid profile by increasing polyunsaturated fatty acids compared to intensive feeding systems.