title: Effect of electrical stimulation on post mortem biochemical characteristics and quality of Longissimus dorsi thoracis muscle from buffalo (Bubalus bubalis).
abstract: High voltage electrical stimulation (700 V, 1400 V peak, pulses 1 s on/1 s off, 60 Hz, 2 A) on buffalo carcasses resulted in a significantly more rapid pH fall in Longissimus dorsi thoracis muscle when compared to non stimulated controls (p < 0.01), during the first 24 h after slaughter. The IMP ATP  ratio on the same period showed a much more rapid increase for the stimulated muscles (1.07 and 1.16 at times 1 and 2.5 hpost mortem vs control values of 0.77 and 0.83, respectively). Sensory and instrumental evaluation of texture of meat cooled by two distinct processes showed that tenderness at 24 hpost mortem was higher in the stimulated muscles compared to non-stimulated controls, irrespective of the cooling process adopted. High voltage stimulation significantly decreases cohesiveness, increases myofibril fragmentation; and SDS polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the myofibrillar proteins showed a weakening of Troponin T band during 6 days of ageing in non-stimulated control muscles, whereas electrical stimulation accelerated the process of ageing over 3 days. This is the first report on acceleration of conditioning in buffalo muscle and the conditions described here have a high potential for application in meat industry for buffalo slaughter.
authors: Dept. de Ciência e Tecnologia Industrial, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors: G J
authors: GJ
authors: Soares
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Arêas