## 3 Results and Discussion
### Surface Color  
The surface color of wild red deer meat was evaluated using the _CIE_ Lab system, where lightness (\(L^{*}\)), redness (\(a^{*}\)), and yellowness (\(b^{*}\)) were measured on Days 1 and 14 of storage. Pressure treatments and storage duration significantly influenced the color parameters across all treatment levels (Table 2). \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c} \hline
**Pressure (MPa)** & **Day 1** & **Day 14** \\ \hline
**Control** & 5.60 \(\pm\) 0.05 \({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 5.13 \(\pm\) 0.03 \({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) \\ \hline
**150** & 5.61 \(\pm\) 0.02 \({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)  
On Day 1, the \(L^{\star}\) values increased progressively with increasing pressure, particularly from 350 MPa onwards, with the highest \(L^{\star}\) values observed at 450 MPa (Table 2, Figure 1). The \(a^{\star}\) values showed variable trends: the control had higher \(a^{\star}\) values compared to samples treated at 150 MPa and pressures of 450 MPa or greater, while samples treated at intermediate pressures (250-400 MPa) showed elevated \(a^{\star}\) values. Yellowness also increased with pressure, with significant changes observed at 350 MPa and higher, peaking at 600 MPa. Hue angle and chroma values were significantly affected by pressure treatments. Hue angle increased sharply at pressures above 400 MPa, reflecting a shift in the color balance due to protein and pigment alterations. Chroma followed similar trends, with a noticeable increase from 250 MPa, peaking at 600 MPa. These changes suggest that higher pressures induced more pronounced color alterations, likely due to protein denaturation and pigment oxidation [24]. After 14 days of storage, \(L^{\star}\) values remained significantly elevated for samples treated at pressures of 300 MPa or greater (Table 2). However, a slight decrease in \(L^{\star}\) was noted for lower-pressure treatments (150-250 MPa) and the control compared to Day 1, although this change was not statistically significant. Redness values significantly decreased over storage, particularly at higher pressures (350 MPa and above). The lowest \(a^{\star}\) values were observed for 550 MPa and 600 MPa treatments, which may reflect oxidation of myoglobin and other pigments during extended storage, consistent with findings from [PERSON] et al. [25], who reported a progressive decline in redness in high-pressure-treated vacuum-packed beef. Similarly, [PERSON] et al. [26] observed that while moderate pressure levels (300-450 MPa) improved the redness of dark, firm, and dry (DFD) beef, higher pressures (\(\geq\)600 MPa) led to excessive pale coloration and further reductions in \(a^{\star}\) values over time. Yellowness (\(b^{\star}\)) values increased significantly in samples treated at pressures of 350 MPa or higher. This increase, combined with reductions in redness, contributed to shifts in hue angle, which was significantly higher in these samples. Chroma values, indicative of color intensity, were consistently lower for high-pressure treatments after 14 days, suggesting a loss of vividness due to protein aggregation and pigment degradation. The results highlight the dual influence of HHP treatment and storage duration on the surface color of wild red deer meat. High-pressure treatments above 300 MPa caused significant protein denaturation, pigment oxidation, and aggregation, leading to increased lightness and yellowish but reduced redness and chroma values over time. These changes reflect the structural and chemical modifications induced by HHP on myoglobin and other meat proteins [21; 23; 24]. The pronounced effects observed at higher pressures (450-600 MPa) could impact consumer perception, as discoloration and reduced redness may affect the visual appeal of meat products [24]. The changes in hue angle and chroma also underscore the importance of optimizing pressure levels to balance preservation and appearance, particularly for fresh meat applications.