This study was undertaken to determine the changes which occur during frozen storage of pork, particularly with reference to the chemical composition, physical properties, and palatability of pork stored at 0°F. (-18°C.) for approximately one year.Changes that occur in lean meat during storage are chiefly enzymic while those that take place in the fat portion of the meat may be enzymic or autoxidative. If enzyme action proceeds a t an appreciable rate, the following changes may be expected: free fatty acids as well as oxidation products of fat will increase; p H will decrease; breakdown products of proteins, such as amino acids and nitrogenous extractives, will increase ; tenderness may increase and cooking time and cooking losses may decrease ; and flavor changes will take place.Enzyme action is retarded a t freezing temperatures. Ball and Lineweaver ( 4 ) observed that at freezing temperatures proteolysis in three different protein-enzyme systems could not be detected. However, when the frozen protein materials plus enzymes were subsequently held at higher temperatures it became evident that changes had taken place during frozen storage. I n contrast to the non-detectable changes in proteinenzyme systems when frozen, fat-enzyme systems showed that lipase action in the presence of unsaturated fats or the lower saturated fats proceeded at a measurable rate.Hall and others ( I I ) , in a study of chemical and palatability changes in frozen pork, found that peroxide numbers and free fatty acids were lower in pork stored for 6 months when held at-10°F. (-23.40C.), and -20' F. (-28.9" C.) than in pork stored at 10" F. (-12.3" C.) or 0' F. (-18°C.). Little or no effect due to storage temperature was noted on shrinkage in storage or during cooking, on pH, on total or non-protein nitrogen in tissues, o r in the percent press fluid.
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