The physicochemical characteristics and microbiological quality of buffalo
meat are influenced by differences in muscle type. This study aimed to evaluate the
physiochemical characteristic and microbiological quality of the topside (active muscle)
and longissimus dorsi (passive muscle) of Indonesian local buffalo meat. Samples used
in this study were buffalo meat from local swamp buffalo, aged more than four years old
on the topside and longissimus dorsi. This study used a completely randomized design,
with three repetitions in each treatment. All data were analyzed using analysis of
variance (ANOVA). The result of the study on the topside and longissimus dorsi area
showed a significant difference in the pH and cholesterol levels of the buffalo meat. The
longissimus dorsi area had a lower level of pH and cholesterol compared to the topside
area. Furthermore, this longissimus dorsi meat has a higher color, protein, ash, fat,
essential amino acid, and lactic acid bacterial (BAL) content than the topside meat.
However, the topside meat had higher carbohydrate, essential fatty acid, Escherichia
coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) content compared to the
longissimus dorsi meat. Longissimus dorsi meat had better physicochemical
characteristics and microbiological quality than the topside mea