Aging and Processing Affect Color, Metmyoglobin Reductase and Oxygen Consumption of Beef Muscles

Abstract

Color stability and various biochemical properties were determined in bovine longissimus dorsi and psoas major at different times postmortem (8 hr to 21 days) and during retail display. Surface metmyoglobin accumulation, metmyoglobin reductase activity and oxygen consumption rate were affected by muscle type, postmortem aging, and'fabrication method (p < 0.01). Psoas steaks had greater metmyoglobin accumulation, lower metmyoglobin reductase activity, and greater oxygen consumption than longissimus steaks. However, color stability of muscles was similar after grinding, which increased oxygen consumption. Color was most stable in steaks fabricated at 4 or 7 days postmortem. The order of color stability was knife-cut steaks > sawcut steaks > ground muscle.

Exogenous and Endogenous Factors Influencing Color of Fresh Meat from Ungulates

“…Several studies have documented the difference between the color stabilities of the beef longissimus and psoas major muscles (O'Keeffe and Hood, 1982;Madhavi and Carpenter, 1993;McKenna et al, 2005;Seyfert et al, 2006;Seyfert et al, 2007;Kim et al, 2009;Mancini et al, 2009;Joseph et al, 2012;Canto et al, 2016). This observed color difference has been attributed to variations in the proportions of muscle fibers present in these 2 muscles (Seyfert et al, 2006).…”

“…While some researchers argue that MRA within the muscle is the principal determinant of muscle color stability (Ledward, 1971), others have observed that the reducing activity is of very limited consequence and that OC has more influence on color stability (Atkinson and Follett, 1973;O'Keeffe and Hood, 1982;Renerre and Labas, 1987). Nevertheless, evidence has shown that both reducing activity and OC have an influence on the color stability of muscles (Madhavi and Carpenter, 1993). In contrast, other researchers have suggested that low OC negatively affects color stability as mitochondrial respiration is required to replenish the NADH required for MRA (Sammel et al, 2002).…”

“…The importance of the OC and MRA of muscles in color development and color stability has been noted (Madhavi and Carpenter, 1993;Bekhit and Faustman, 2005;Mancini and Hunt, 2005;Suman and Nair, 2017). However, the relative contribution of MRA and OC to the color stability of muscles had been greatly disputed.…”

“…This, in part, explains the low color stability of muscles with higher proportions of oxidative fibers. The relationship between OCR and oxygen penetration depth is influenced by muscle type (Bendall and Taylor, 1972;Macdougall and Taylor, 1975;O'Keeffe and Hood, 1982;Renerre and Labas, 1987;Lanari and Cassens, 1991;Madhavi and Carpenter, 1993;McKenna et al, 2005). Conversely, MRA refers to the inherent ability of meat to reduce MetMb back to ferrous DeoxyMb, which can subsequently be re-oxygenated to OxyMb and thereby sustaining the color stability (Madhavi and Carpenter, 1993).…”

Metabolite Profile Differences between Beef Longissimus and Psoas Muscles during Display

“…Oxygen consumption was determined according to a modified procedure of Madhavi and Carpenter (1993), on the fresh-cut surface of the bottom half portion of the cube removed prior to MRA analysis. The samples were allowed to oxygenate for 30 min at 1°C, vacuum packaged, and then scanned twice (as described in the MRA procedure) on the bloomed surface (representing the previously unexposed interior of the original cube) to measure OxyMb.…”