A Review of the Factors Influencing the Quality of Red Deer Meat and the Current Status of Research on Its Processing

Venison has a long history of consumption in China, being rich in protein and low in both fat and cholesterol. This aligns with the current consumer demand for a healthy diet. Furthermore, it is in short supply on the international market, which is highly popular among consumers both at home and abroad. The red deer is one of the most economically important animals for both meat production and medicinal purposes in China. Its meat productivity is significantly higher than that of other deer species. Xinjiang is a very important distribution area of red deer resources in China. This paper conducts a systematic review of the literature concerning the factors influencing the meat of red deer including both internal (age in months, sex, muscle parts, and breed) and external (growing season, feeding mode, postmortem aging time, and storage mode) ones as well as red deer meat products. It presents a comprehensive understanding of the unique quality attributes of red deer meat. This review hopes to provide theoretical support for constructing a suitable production and processing system of red deer meat and promoting the rapid development of Xinjiang’s red deer industry.