title: Chemical attributes characterizing sticky post-mortem ageing in beef.
abstract: Reports in literature on post-mortem sticky ageing are rare and data about chemical metabolites that occur particularly during sticky ageing are partly contradictory. In the present study different chemicals (pH, NH(3), TVB-N, H(2)S, R value, IMP, pyruvate and various volatile acids such as lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, uric acid and pyroglutamic acid) were tested for their suitability to serve as parameters to characterize sticky post-mortem ageing in beef muscle samples. Results show that a high butyric acid concentration (0.46 μMol g(-1)) seems to be typical for sticky post-mortem ageing in beef. A distinction from onset of spoilage is possible due to the high butyric acid concentration, a low ammonia content (10.5 mg 100 g(-1)) and a low pH value. From meat with normal ageing it can be differentiated by sensory, colour, smell, consistency, a high butyric and pyroglutamic acid content and a low IMP concentration (0.04 μMol g(-1)).
authors: Institute of Veterinary Food Hygiene, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 270-272, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Stephan
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Stierli
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Untermann