title: Changes in mechanical strength of intramuscular connective tissue during postmortem aging of beef.
abstract: We studied changes in mechanical strength during postmortem aging of bovine semitendinosus muscle using intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) preparations from muscle stored at 4 degrees C. In the preparation, muscle fiber elements were removed, leaving a virtually intact structure of the endomysium and perimysium. The shear-force value of the IMCT preparation remained unchanged up to 10 d postmortem and decreased linearly thereafter. The yield of the perimysial fraction, which was measured as an indicator of mechanical properties of the perimysium, remained almost unchanged up to 14 d postmortem, and decreased gradually thereafter. These results suggest that the mechanical strength of the intramuscular connective tissue changes slowly during postmortem aging of beef; it remains almost unchanged for up to 10 d postmortem and progressively decreases thereafter. Thus, intramuscular connective tissue seems to affect beef tenderization in extended aging.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hattori
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D003094:Collagen / Q000648:ultrastructure; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D005511:Food Handling; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D009919:Orchiectomy; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013718:Tensile Strength; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen