Carcass characteristics, physicochemical properties, amino acid composition, and fatty acid profile of European brown hare (<i>Lepus europaeus</i>) meat

This study examined carcass characteristics and selected nutritional quality parameters of meat derived from European brown hares (Lepus europaeus). Biological material was collected from free-living animals legally harvested during the regular hunting season in western Slovakia. In total, 40 hares (17 males and 23 females) were included in the investigation. Samples of three muscles (longissimus dorsi, semimembranosus, and brachialis muscles) were analysed to determine proximate composition, amino acid profile, fatty acid composition, lipid nutritional indices, and instrumental colour parameters. The analysed hare meat was characterised by a high protein content ranging from approximately 22.0 to 23.8 g.100 g-1 and very low intramuscular fat levels (0.61–0.91 g.100 g-1). The amino acid profile showed a balanced distribution of essential amino acids, with lysine and leucine as the most abundant. Among individual fatty acids, oleic acid (C18:1 n-9), palmitic acid (C16:0), and linoleic acid (C18:2 n-6) were predominant. Monounsaturated fatty acids constituted the dominant fraction of the total lipid content (44–47%), followed by saturated fatty acids (34–36%) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (17–23%). Calculated lipid quality indices indicated a relatively favourable balance between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids. Instrumental colour measurements confirmed the typical dark red appearance of hare meat, reflecting the higher myoglobin content characteristic of physically active wild animals. The results confirm the lean character of hare meat, particularly due to its low fat content and relatively high protein content. The fatty acid profile further supports its nutritional relevance, although some variation between muscles was observed. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the nutritional characteristics of game meat and highlight the potential of hare meat as part of a more diverse human diet.