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Exploring the Longissimus Muscle: Unraveling its Correlation with Meat Quality in Bos indicus and Crossbred Bulls
Published on: July 12, 2024
Early-postmortem cooling rate and beef tenderness
J V Lochner1, R G Kauffman, B B Marsh
1Muscle Biology and Meat Science Laboratory, University of Wisconsin, 1805 Linden Drive, Madison, W153706, USA.
Meat Science
|November 8, 2011
Summary
Beef tenderness is primarily linked to early postmortem muscle temperature, not cold shortening. Slow cooling in the first few hours postmortem significantly enhances beef tenderness, especially in well-finished carcasses.
Area of Science:
- Meat Science
- Animal Science
- Food Science
Background:
- Meat tenderness is a critical quality attribute influencing consumer satisfaction.
- Early postmortem factors significantly impact meat quality, including tenderness.
- Understanding the relationship between chilling rates and beef tenderness is essential for the meat industry.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of different early postmortem cooling rates on beef loin steak tenderness.
- To determine the relationship between muscle temperature at specific postmortem intervals and sarcomere length.
- To elucidate the primary mechanisms influencing beef tenderness, distinguishing between cold shortening and cooling rates.
Main Methods:
- Five fat and five lean steer carcasses were subjected to two distinct cooling conditions (-2°C moving air vs. 9°C static air) on opposing sides.
- Early postmortem cooling rates were measured in the longissimus muscle.
- Tenderness and sarcomere length of loin steaks were evaluated in relation to cooling rates and muscle temperatures at 2 hours postmortem.
Main Results:
- The fastest cooling group exhibited the least tender beef with the shortest sarcomeres.
- Tenderness was strongly and linearly correlated with muscle temperature at 2 hours postmortem (27-40°C).
- Cold shortening was not a significant factor in tenderness, except in very rapidly chilled lean carcasses.
Conclusions:
- Slow chilling, particularly the retardation of cooling in the first 2-4 hours postmortem, is the primary driver of enhanced beef tenderness.
- The superior tenderness of well-finished beef is largely attributed to slower early postmortem cooling rates.
- Muscle temperature achieved early postmortem, rather than avoidance of cold shortening temperatures, is the key determinant of beef tenderness.
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