Originally posted by glad2hunt:
I do not think that a deer tastes more gamey if they have adrenaline in them. I did not know adrenaline has a taste at all?
Not the adrenaline really. This explains what I was trying to say more clearly. This is from Purdue University.
--Effects of Stress on Final Meat Quality--
To understand the effects of stress on final meat quality, it is important to understand the relationship of glycogen and lactic acid to pH decline in meat after slaughter. An animal which has not been stressed will have normal levels of glycogen in its body. When the animal is slaughtered and exsanguinated, the metabolic process continues, however there is no longer circulating oxygen. Without the presents of oxygen, the breakdown of glycogen/glucose results in a buildup of latic acid which then causes a drop in pH of the meat.
The final quality of meat is greatly affected by the rate of pH decline in the meat after slaughter. If there was a great lactic acid buildup before slaughter, the pH of the meat declines too quickly after slaughter and a Pale, Soft, Exudative (PSE) condition may develop. As suggested by the name, the affected meat is pale, soft, and fluid may drip from the surface.
At the other extreme, if the animal is glycogen depleted before slaughter the pH may not drop quickly enough after slaughter because there is not enough lactic acid produced. In this case the meat will be very dry and dark in color. This condition is known as Dark Firm Dry (DFD) meat. An additional problem with this type of meat is that it is more susceptible to spoiling since it lacks the lactic acid which normally helps retard growth of microorganisms after slaughter. Note that glycogen deficiency may also be the result of too much physical activity or inadequate diet before slaughter.