title: Post mortem energy metabolism and meat quality of porcine M. longissimus dorsi as influenced by stunning method - A (31)P NMR spectroscopic study.
abstract: Post mortem changes in phosphorus metabolites and pH were studied in M. longissimus dorsi from pigs (n=10) stunned either by CO(2) (n=3), electrical (n=2), captive bolt pistol (n=2) or by anesthesia (ketamine) (n=3). (31)P-NMR spectroscopy revealed significant effects of stunning method on changes of the various phosphorus metabolites in the muscle post mortem, with the effect being most pronounced on the degradation of phosphocreatine (PCr). Moreover, the four stunning methods gave rise to large differences in the progress of pH as determined by (31)P-NMR spectroscopy. Using anesthesia as the reference showed that the captive bolt pistol caused the highest rates of post mortem degradation of phosphorus metabolites, electrical stunning intermediate, and CO(2)-stunning causing the lowest post mortem degradation rates, even though CO(2)-stunning also was associated with higher post mortem degradation rates compared with anesthesia. Finally, it was demonstrated that the water-holding capacity (WHC) of the meat was affected by the applied stunning method, as CO(2)-stunning, electrical stunning and captive bolt pistol resulted in mean drip losses of 6.4, 8.3 and 8.6%, respectively (P=0.02). The result displays the significance of induction and progress in post mortem changes on WHC in meat.
authors: Department of Animal Product Quality, Danish Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Research Centre Foulum, PO Box 50, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark.
authors: Hanne Christine
authors: HC
authors: Bertram
authors: Hans
authors: H
authors: Stødkilde-Jørgensen
authors: Anders Hans
authors: AH
authors: Karlsson
authors: Henrik Jørgen
authors: HJ
authors: Andersen