Relationships between post-mortem pH changes and some traits of sensory quality in veal

The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationships between the rate and extent of post-mortem pH changes and the colour, the cooking loss and the eating quality of veal. The experiment used 12 calves aged 18 weeks. Variations in ultimate pH were induced by adrenalin administration (0.1-0.4 mg/kg liveweight) to six of the animals. Measurements were made on the Longissimus thoracis muscle. pH and osmotic pressure were measured at 0.5 h, 4 h and 29 h after slaughter. Pigment content, drip loss and cooking loss were measured at 29 h after slaughter, and colour was measured at 2 days and 9 days after slaughter. Cooking loss, tenderness, juiciness and flavour of roasts were assessed at 9 days after slaughter. Correlations between colour traits and pH values were higher with ultimate pH than with pH at 0.5 h or 4 h after slaughter. Lightness, redness and reflectance decreased when the ultimate pH increased. Drip loss was correlated with the rate of pH fall (r = -0.80, P < 0.01 with pH at 4 h), while cooking loss was correlated with ultimate pH (r = -0.94, P < 0.01). Ultimate pH and the sensory quality traits were linearity and positively correlated (r = 0.83) for tenderness, 0.81 for juiciness and 0.71 for flavour, respectively).