Acceleration of Postmortem Tenderization in Ovine Carcasses Through Infusion of Calcium Chloride: Effect of Concentration and Ionic Strength

Abstract

Ovine carcasses were arterially infused with a volume equal to 10% of the live weight after electrical stimulation. The infusion solutions contained .075 M, .15 M or .3 M calcium chloride. Results indicated that .3 M calcium chloride treatment was the most effective concentration of CaCl2 to reduce the shear force value measured at 24 h postmortem. To examine the contribution of ionic strength to tenderization that occurs by infusion of carcasses with .3 M CaCl2, ovine carcasses were infused with CaCl2 and NaCl solutions of identical ionic strength. Results indicated that the tenderization that occurred by infusion of carcasses with CaCl2 was not due to ionic strength of the CaCl2 solution. Results also indicated that, compared to control animals, NaCl-infused carcasses were more tender after 6 d of postmortem storage (but not after 1 d, as observed with CaCl2-infused carcasses). Evidence is presented that indicates that activation of calcium-dependent proteases could be responsible for the observed tenderization (reduction in shear force) due to infusion of ovine carcasses with CaCl2.

Carcass and cut yields and meat qualitative traits of broilers fed diets containing probiotics and prebiotics

“…In regard to these reference values for SF, it can be inferred that the use of probiotics and prebiotics in the present study had no effect on breast meat tenderness, since the values ranged between 3.88 and 4.08 and between 3.84 and 4.03 kgf, respectively. Together with water holding capacity, CL and SF are quality parameters intimately related with the process of meat tenderness, which is a determining qualitative factor and one of the most important sensory characteristics of the meat (Koohmaraie et al, 1990). It is worth noting that water loss reduces the nutritional value of meat, since nutrients might be removed together with the exsudate, resulting in less tender meat.…”

Factors affecting beef palatability — farmgate to chilled carcass

“…The infusion of CaCl 2 into the carcass (ovine) immediately following slaughter has been shown to dramatically accelerate post mortem tenderisation (Koohmaraie et al 1988(Koohmaraie et al , 1990). The technique is also directly amenable to the tenderisation of post-rigor meat (Wheeler et al 1993).…”

Effects of feeding systems and breed group on carcass characteristics and meat quality of feedlot goat kids

“…In this study, the tenderness of the meat was not influenced by any of the variables, since all animals have been slaughtered at an early age and also because it is directly related to other factors such as pH, fat content in the carcass (KOOHMARAIE et al, 1990), temperature control in the first 24 hours post-slaughter and management practices used before slaughter (BRESSAN et al, 2001), which were the same for all.…”