# Assessing the Flavor of Various Edible Meats Including Wild Raccoon Meat by the Check-All-That-Apply Method

## TL;DR

Researchers used a sensory evaluation method to determine the flavor profile of wild raccoon meat and found it resembles lamb, which could help reduce consumer fear of unfamiliar foods.

## Contribution

This study is the first to use the CATA method to characterize the flavor of wild raccoon meat and compare it to conventional meats.

## Key findings

- Raccoon meat was found to have a flavor profile similar to lamb, with descriptors like 'gamey' and 'lamb/mutton-like'.
- CATA sensory evaluation revealed unique characteristics of raccoon meat, including 'quirky' and 'difficult to swallow'.

## Abstract

Consumers often demonstrate an intrinsic aversion to unfamiliar foods referred to as food neophobia. Wild raccoon (Procyon lotor) meat represents such an unfamiliar food, both globally and within Japan. Providing information on the flavor of raccoon meat may help to alleviate consumer apprehension. Here, we employed the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) sensory evaluation method to delineate its flavor profile. Ground meat samples of beef, pork, chicken, lamb, tuna, frog, venison, and raccoon were prepared using a food processor. The meat colors exhibited marked variation, with raccoon meat characterized by its notably high redness and low lightness. All meat samples were steam-cooked for 15 min prior to evaluation. Sensory assessment was conducted using the CATA method, wherein 17 Japanese panelists selected among 27 descriptors for flavor/taste and texture. The collected data were analyzed through correspondence analysis, revealing that raccoon meat was primarily characterized by the descriptors “having aftertaste,” “rich,” “difficult to swallow,” “lamb/mutton-like,” “gamey,” and “quirky,” indicating a sensory profile closely resembling that of lamb among the evaluated livestock meats. Thus, the CATA method could be effective in characterizing the flavor profile of raccoon meat, highlighting its similarity to lamb and presenting a viable strategy to familiarize consumers with this unconventional protein source.