Muscle to meat Flashcards
Describe the immediate source of ATP in skeletal muscle energy metabolism
Oxidative phosphorylation of ADP in mitochondria
Sources: muscle glycogen, blood glucose, fatty acids
Produces 36 ATP per glucose molecule
Describe the intermediate source of ATP in skeletal muscle energy metabolism
Direct phosphorylation of ADP to ATP by creatine phosphate (CP)
Rapid conversion
Gives 1 ATP per CP molecule
Conc of CP is 5 times that of ATP at rest
Describe the ultimate source of ATP in skeletal muscle energy metabolism
Anaerobic glycolysis => little ATP but can be made rapidly in absence of oxygen
Fuel source = glucose from muscle glycogen
Leads to rapid lactic acid build up => fatigue and post-mortem pH (effects meat quality)
Gives 2 ATP per glucose molecule + lactic acid
What is are the biochemical/physical changes that occur post-mortem?
Exsanguination (bleeding)
Circulatory failure
PM glycolysis
PM heat production and dissipation
Rigor mortis
Loss of structural integrity
Change in appearance
Enzymatic degradation (muscles relax)
What are the 4 stages of rigor mortis?
delay
onset
completion
resolution
Why does rigor mortis occur?
all energy stores exhausted so no movement of myosin heads => muscles remain contracted
What pre-slaughter factors affect rigor mortis?
Physical stress/Disease depletes muscle glycogen store => limited glycosis leads to early rigor mortis and high muscle pH
What post-slaughter factor affects rigor-mortis?
excessive chilling rate => severe shortening => tough meat
What fibre type is prone to PSE (pale, soft and exudative)
fast muscle
What proteases are involved in the resolution of rigor mortis?
Calpains (inhibited by calpastatins)
Cathepsins (inhibited by cystatin)
What is the effect of more of the protease calpastatin on meat and which breeds are affected?
More calpastatin => more inhibition of calpains => less/slower resolution of rigor mortis => tougher meat
Describe how flavour develops during conditioning/ageing of meat
Proteins are broken down into AAs and fats => into aromatic fatty acids that adds to the meaty flavour
Increased glutamic acid => adds to flavour
Inosinic acid convets to hypoxanthine (a flavour component)
Prolonged ageing risks fat oxidation causing rancid odour
High concs of CaCl for tenderisation causes bitterness
What are the components of tenderness?
Shear force
Myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI)
Taste
What are the factors affecting tenderness?
White muscle less tender than red
Amount of shortening during rigor mortis (cold shortening)
Correlation between MFI, shear force and tenderness
Describe cold shortening of meat
Rapid chilling reduces microbial growth, evaporation and drip loss
CS occurs when muscle cools below 10C before rigor mortis:
- due to excessive Ca ion release from SR in presence of ATP
- shorten up to 1/3 original length
- tough on cooking
How can cold shortening be prevented?
beef and lamb: not below 10C in first 10hrs
Pork: not below 10C in first 3hrs
What are the benefits of electrical stimulation in beef and lamb?
prevents cold shortening
improves meat tenderness
Improves colour and texture
Why is electrical stimulation not used in pig carcasses?
can induce PSE
How does electrical stimulation improve meat tenderness?
via sarcomere fractures and activation of proteases, lysosomal cathepsins and calpains
Describe the process of electrical stimulation of meat
applied after exsanguination
causes muscle contraction, acceleration pH fall, depletes ATP and induces early rigor mortis
Describe how the hanging of bovine carcasses can improve tenderness of the meat
Suspended through obturator foramen (instead of achilles tendon) stretched the muscles more (tenderstretch)
Describe the process of a tendercut
sawing the vertebral column at the 12th/13th rib junction and/or the ischium at the rump junction
Describe methods to improve tenderness of meat
electrical stimulation
tenderstretch
tendercut
needle/blade tenderisation
papain, bromelin, ficin (plant based enzymes)
Marination
Hot boning and stretching
Ultrasonic wave, shockwaves, hydrostatic pressure and hydrodynamic pressure