Effect of postmortem injection time and postinjection aging time on the calcium-activated tenderization process in beef.
The objectives of this study were to determine 1) the effectiveness of calcium chloride when injected later than 2 d postmortem, 2) the effect of extended postinjection aging time, and 3) the tenderness response curve in calcium chloride-treated beef. In Exp. 1, the longissimus thoracis et lumborum was injected on either d 2 or 14 postmortem with 5% by weight of a 200 mM calcium chloride solution. Samples were aged (1 degree C) either 7 or 35 d after injection. The uninjected control longissimus from the contralateral side was aged for 9, 21, 37, or 49 d. In Exp. 2, the longissimus thoracis et lumborum was injected on d 2 postmortem with 5% by weight of a 200 m x M calcium chloride solution then sampled for shear force on d 1, 2, 6, 8, 12, and 14 after injection. Calcium chloride injection, regardless of injection time or postinjection aging time, had higher (P < .05) sensory tenderness rating than control with the same total aging time (5.2, 5.5, 5.8, and 6.1 vs 4.3, 4.8, 5.1, and 5.3, respectively). Calcium chloride injection at d 14 reduced shear force (.7 kg) and increased tenderness rating (.7 units) as effectively (P > .05) as injection at d 2 (1.2 kg and .8 units, respectively). Calcium chloride-injected steaks had higher (P < .05) juiciness ratings than control steaks. Postrigor calcium chloride injection reduced (P < .05) shear force within 1 d after injection and resulted in more tender meat through 14 d after injection. Extended postinjection aging (35 d) had little effect on color display stability. Calcium activated tenderization can be applied as late as 14 d postmortem and will reduce the occurrence of tough meat if aging is limited.
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Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, USDA, Clay Center, NE 68933, USA.
Koohmaraie
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Shackelford
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D000818:Animals; D002118:Calcium / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle; D003296:Cooking; D005260:Female; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005524:Food Technology / Q000379:methods*; D007273:Injections, Intramuscular / Q000662:veterinary; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D016885:United States Department of Agriculture
D002118:Calcium