Prerigor injection using glycolytic inhibitors in low-quality beef muscles

The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of prerigor injection of several glycolytic inhibitors on pH, color, tenderness, and related traits of low-value beef cuts. The semimembranosus, triceps brachii, and supraspinatus muscles from each of 10 steer carcasses were removed 1 h postmortem. Control samples remained in the carcass at 2 degrees C for 24 h. Prerigor muscles were injected and tumbled with 10% (by weight) of one of four solutions: sodium citrate (NaC; 200 mM), sodium fluoride (NaF; 200 mM), sodium acetate (NaA; 200 mM), and calcium chloride (CaCl2; 300 mM). All muscles treated with NaC and NaF showed the highest pH and glycogen content (P < 0.05), indicating that glycolysis was inhibited. Injection of NaC in semimembranosus and supraspinatus produced the tenderest meat (P < 0.05), showing a greater increase in tenderization at 3 d than at 7 d postmortem. Treatment did not affect color or oxidation-reduction potential, but all treated muscles tended to be more oxidative (higher oxidation-reduction potential). Sodium citrate was identified as a potential compound to enhance tenderness of prerigor muscle without altering color. Further studies are required to investigate its effect on palatability traits and to provide a basis for commercial application of the process.