Owing to the dominance of the beef market, traditional consumer habits and the often inferior quality of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) meat offered, the meat of this species is still rejected in many countries, like it is the case of Brazil, or at least considered as low-grade meat. In order to find out whether or not there is a distinct rejection of water buffalo meat on account of criteria such as taste, flavour, tenderness, texture, juiciness, colour of fat, colour of meat and general acceptability, an organoleptic test was organized in the city of Manaus-AM, Brazil. Traditionally barbecued (churrasco) Brazilian-style cuts of water buffalo meat and beef were compared. The result showed that both types of meat have a comparable quality and that the still existing prejudices in respect of water buffalo meat are unfounded.
water buffalo meat; beef; organoleptic test; floodplains; Amazonia; Brazil