Meat objectives Flashcards
Fibre types inmuscle
aerobic (red/pink) - strong cytochrome oxidase activity
type I and type IIa
anaerobic (white) - weak cytoochrone oxidase activity
type IIb
Type I
slow twitch aerobic low glycogen content high lipid content low glycolytic enzymes high myoglobin contnet
Type IIa
high glycogen content
medium glycolytic acitivity
varibale ATPase activity
medium myoglobin conent
type IIb
medium glycogen content
high glycolytic enzyme activity
strong ATPase activity
low myoglobin content
PSE meat occurs when
- acute stress around time of slaughter by stimulating rate of acidification of muscles immediate post mortem.
- Anaerobic glycolysis causes lactic acid and thus a LOW pH -> muscle protein to denature ->reduction of amount of water they bind (Poor WHC) - > high light scattering
- mainly effects pigs (also found in other white fibre animals)
PSE quality
pale, soft exudative
dry and poor texture after cooking
- exudate leads to weightloss and therefore reduced yield in fresh and process products
PSE appearance
- due to high light scattering ->light reflects of water -> less absorbed -> pale
DFD meat occurs when
- chronic pre-slaughter stress - no glycogen left before death
therefore –> less lactic acid formed and meat does not acidify normally-> high pH-> proteins do not denature–> high WHC –> low light scattering–> high absorbed–> dark - mainly effects beef (red fibres)
DFD quality
- dark firm dry
- poor flavour and processing characteristics(slow uneven formation of cured meat pigments) and high spoilage potential so has shorter shelf life
- firm due to tightly packed fibres
- dry due to tightly bound water
stunning
rendering animal unconscious (prevents animal feeling any pain or distress during exsanguination)
Mechanically - Captive bolt pistol, Percussion stunner, Free bullet
Non mechanically – electric current and immersion in aesthetic gas
exsanguination is
cutting of major arteries to the brain = bleeding to death
phases in stunning
- Tonic phase – immediate collapse, stopping rhythmic breathing
- Clonic phase – involuntary kicking for 15-45sec, can recover if no killed immediately
slaughter methods
- stunning
- Sticking - cutting major blood vessels in neck or thorax so that animal bleeds to death (important to sever both carotid and jugular) – death 15-20sec after, never cut throat of pig
- Pithing – use of long flexible rod in adult cattle to destroy parts of brain and spinal cord that control movement so that reflex muscular contractions do not occur subsequently
What factors effect the rate at which a carcass looses heat?
- Size of the carcass
- Level of subcutaneous fat
- Air circulation
What does rate of cooling effect in the muscles?
- rates of pH fall through the production of lactic acid
- the disappearance of CP and ATP
- speed of onset of RM
Rapid chilling can reduce PSE in pork
What occurs when there is a slow pH drop + fast temp drop in carcass?
cold shortening
Cold shortening
- Slow pH drop and fast temp drop
- If meat is rapidly chilled before RM and before glycogen is converted to lactic acid there is a super contraction. The contraction is not followed by relaxation and so results in shorter sarcomeres and thus tougher meat
- mainly red muscles due to potential reduced ability to sequester calcium
What occurs when there is a quick pH drop + high temp in carcass?
heat shortening
Heat shortening
Occurs if pH ultimate level is reached while the the temp is still high
muscles are stimulated & allowed to contract & shorten at high temperatures without subsequent relaxation, meat may become tougher if enter RM in this state
What is the optimum window for pH and carcass temp?
- pH should not fall < 6 when temp is >35°C
- pH should be < 6 before the temp falls to 12°C