Health-Promoting Properties of the Wild-Harvested Meat of Roe Deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) and Red Deer (Cervus elaphus L.)

Simple Summary Due to its chemical composition, roe and red deer meat can be a valuable component of a well-balanced diet for the modern consumer; however, the raw material from the carcasses of animals living in the wild can show differences in nutritional value. The present study provides an analysis of the content of basic nutrients (protein, fat, crude ash), Fe, Cd and Pb and fatty acid profile based on which the health-promoting value of wild-harvested roe deer and red deer meat was evaluated. Sixty carcasses were selected for chemical analysis; 30 of roe deer (15 does and 15 bucks) and 30 of red deer (15 hinds and 15 stags). The study leads to the conclusion that the evaluated meat of roe deer and red deer had high dietary value as it contained a high protein and low fat content and had an advantageous fatty acids composition. The noted content of cadmium and lead in the haunch of roe and red deer was significantly lower than permissible standard values, which corroborates that the meat is healthy and safe for consumers. Abstract The present studies aimed to analyse and assess the health-promoting properties of the musculus semimembranosus (MS) of roe and red deer harvested in the wild. The experimental materials comprising the carcasses of roe deer (15 does and 15 bucks) and red deer (15 hinds and 15 stags) were selected for analysis based on the following criteria: age of animals at harvest—3–4 years; time that passed from the harvest of animals to carcass cutting—48–54 h. After chilling the carcasses for 24 h at +2 °C, the haunches were cut from the carcasses and transported to the laboratory in isothermal ice-packed containers. Samples of the musculus semimembranosus were analysed to determine the chemical composition (proximate components, energy value, Fe, Pb, Cd, fatty acids). More (p ≤ 0.05) dry matter and total protein and less (p ≤ 0.05) crude fat was found in the musculus semimembranosus of roe deer in comparison to red deer. No significant influence of the animal’s sex was observed in the content of the evaluated nutrients, apart from crude fat content, which was increased in the haunch of females from both species. The energy content in the muscle of roe deer was 10% higher than the energy value of MS in red deer (p ≤ 0.05). The content of iron was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher (6.64 mg/kg) in the meat of red deer compared to the meat of roe deer (31.68 mg/kg). Roe deer haunch contained more lead but less cadmium than red deer haunch. Irrespective of sex, the lipid fraction of red deer muscle contained more saturated fatty acids (SFA). Intramuscular fat (IMF) in roe deer meat contained a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The atherogenicity (AI) and thrombogenicity (TI) index values were significantly lower in roe deer haunch, and the hypocholesterolaemic-to-hypercholesterolaemic fatty acids ratio (HH) was lower (p ≤ 0.05) in red deer meat. To sum up, the evaluated roe deer and red deer haunch featured high dietary value as it contained a high protein and low fat content and had an advantageous fatty acids composition. As regards the content of cadmium and lead, roe deer and red deer haunch can be considered safe for consumers.