title: Relationships between physical and structural properties of intramuscular connective tissue and toughness of raw pork.
abstract: We studied the relationships between the shear-force value and physical and structural properties of the intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) in six classes of porcine skeletal muscle to elucidate the contribution of IMCT to toughness of raw pork. The shear-force value of raw pork correlated significantly with that of the IMCT model prepared from each class of skeletal muscle (P < 0.05). The correlation suggested that the variable toughness of pork was caused by the mechanical strength of the endomysium and perimysium. The thickness of the secondary perimysium correlated significantly with the shear-force value of raw pork (P < 0.05) and with that of the IMCT model (P < 0.05). The shear-force value of raw pork correlated significantly with the total amount of collagen (P < 0.05) but not with the heat-solubility of collagen. We concluded therefore that the thickness of the secondary perimysium determines the mechanical strength of IMCT and contributes to toughness in raw pork.
authors.affiliation: Meat Science Laboratory, Graduate School of Agriculture, Hokkaido University, Kita, Sapporo, Japan. nishi@anim.agr.hokudai.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takanori
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nishimura
authors.forename: Suhong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fang
authors.forename: Jun-ichi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wakamatsu
authors.forename: Koui
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takahashi
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000818:Animals; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis; D003238:Connective Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005511:Food Handling; D008460:Meat / Q000592:standards*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D003094:Collagen