Comparison of postmortem changes in goose cardiac and breast muscles at 5 °C

Abstract

BACKGROUD: The tenderness of goose heart is an important consideration in its utilization as a popular meat product. It is generally thought that postmortem degradation of myofibrillar proteins may improved meat tenderness. Little information, however, is available regarding the postmortem changes in goose cardiac muscle. Therefore, the postmortem proteolysis between goose cardiac and breast muscles at 5• C is compared. RESULTS:The pH is higher (P < 0.05) in cardiac samples than in breast samples. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and western blots results indicate that postmortem degradation of titin and desmin and the appearance of the 28 and 30 kDa components are faster in breast muscle than in cardiac muscle.CONCLUSION: Our results may suggest that goose postmortem proteolysis occurs more rapidly in breast muscle than in cardiac muscle at 5 • C.