Effects of nitric oxide and oxidation in vivo and postmortem on meat tenderness

Metabolic processes in muscle tissue in vivo result in the production of reactive oxygen species and oxidative compounds including superoxide anions and nitric oxide (NO). Reactive oxygen species can react with both lipids and proteins and often have deleterious effects, contributing to the onset of ageing and senescence as well as cell death. Nitric oxide (NO) is a free radical that is constantly produced or released throughout the body by diverse tissues and is known to influence proteolytic activity in human and rodent skeletal muscle as well as being involved in regulation of calcium homeostasis in the muscle cell. The influence of nitric oxide on development of meat tenderness has been studied through postmortem manipulation and also through in vivo studies. The effect of NO on meat tenderness is postulated to be via its regulatory effects on the proteins calpain, cathepsins, ryanodine receptor channel in the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) and the sarcoplasmic-endoplasmic release calcium ATPase in the SR. NO is an oxidant although the effects of NO on effector proteins can be distinguished from a direct oxidation reaction. The onset of oxidation in meat postmortem is well known to produce off-odours, discolouration and unacceptable flavours associated with rancidity. Oxidation during the immediate postmortem period appears to inhibit tenderisation during ageing, probably through an inhibitory effect of oxidation on the calpain enzyme. Oxidation of muscle tissue occurring as a result of availability of oxygen during modified atmosphere packaging may also have deleterious consequences for tenderness development during storage of meat prior to retail display. In conclusion, it is proposed that postmortem meat tenderisation is influenced by skeletal muscle's release of NO pre-slaughter and the oxidation of proteases postmortem. This proposal is compatible with the existing tenderness model and will hopefully assist in increasing the accuracy of prediction of meat tenderness. Future directions for research are discussed.