title: Freezing, thawing and aging effects on beef tenderness from Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle.
abstract: The objective of this study was to determine the effects of freezing prior to aging on the meat tenderness of young Nellore and Aberdeen Angus bulls. Samples of the longissimus thoracis muscle were submitted to two treatments: conventional aging and freezing (-20°C for 40 days) followed by thawing and aging periods. The meats were evaluated after 0, 7, 14 and 21 aging days (1°C). Freezing increased (P<0.05) purge, cooking loss and total exudate loss throughout aging. Nellore meats had greater total exudate loss and shorter sarcomere lengths (P<0.05). Freezing increased proteolysis during aging in the meats of both breeds, but reduced shear force was found (P<0.05) only in Aberdeen Angus meats and only at time zero. These results suggest that the meat tenderizing process by freezing prior to aging may contribute to meat tenderness in the first weeks of aging, but it is dependent on the animal breed.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciência dos Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), P.O. Box 3037, Lavras, Minas Gerais 37200-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Carolina N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Aroeira
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Tecnológicas, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Campus UFV Florestal, Florestal, Minas Gerais 35690-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Robledo A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Torres Filho
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais 36570-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo Rogério
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Fontes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV), Viçosa, Minas Gerais 36570-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lúcio Alberto M
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Gomide
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciência dos Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), P.O. Box 3037, Lavras, Minas Gerais 37200-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alcinéia L S
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), Lavras, Minas Gerais 37200-000, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcio M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ladeira
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciência dos Alimentos, Universidade Federal de Lavras (UFLA), P.O. Box 3037, Lavras, Minas Gerais 37200-000, Brazil. Electronic address: emramos@dca.ufla.br.
authors.forename: Eduardo M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Ramos
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D063427:Food Quality; D005615:Freezing; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D000069466:Red Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D012677:Sensation; D013997:Time Factors
keywords: Aberdeen Angus; Nellore; Proteolysis; Shear force