Tenderness and Associated Characteristics of Stretched and Contracted Bovine Muscles

Abstract

SUMMARY— The effects of muscle contraction state, carcass maturity, and post‐mortem aging (4°C) on tenderness were studied on excised semitendinosus muscles of six A‐ and six E‐maturity bovine carcasses. Fiber diameter was shown to be curvilinearly related with sarcomere length (R = .95 and .87 for A‐ and E‐maturity groups, respectively). As muscles were shortened they had a larger percent area of fibers and a smaller percent area of both edomysial and perimysial material. Muscles of the A‐maturity group were more tender (P < .01) than those of the E‐maturity group. Post‐mortem aging resulted in tenderization in both A‐ and E‐maturity groups at all states of contraction f‐48 to +48% of the preexcised length); however, tenderness of contracted muscles did not reach acceptable levels even in 240 hr of aging. Tenderness was shown to be linearly related to fiber diameter (R = .82 and .87 for A‐ and E‐maturity groups, respectively); however, the relationship with sarcomere length was curvilinear (R = .90 and .75 for A and E maturities, respectively). Post‐mortem contraction of muscles was very effective in causing decreased tenderness, whereas the magnitude of tenderness increase was smaller than normal when muscles were stretched.

Effect of pre rigor stretching on beef tenderness development

“…In fact, Herring, Cassens, Suess, Brungardt & Briskey (1967) found that there was a curvilinear relationship between sarcomere length and tenderness, and thus they concluded that it would be more critical to prevent post mortem shortening than to ensure a maximum stretch. Further, they found fewer stretching effects on shear force and tenderness scores and a greater variability in shear force values in stretched beef muscles (semitendinosus) from older animals (E-maturity; USDA, 1997) than in muscles from young animals (A-maturity; USDA, 1997) possibly due to different connective tissue contents and its flexibility (Herring et al, 1967). In that regards, speculated that limited or no influence of 4S on meat tenderness could be due to a higher initial background toughness of meat from older animals.…”

Influence of high pre-rigor temperature and fast pH fall on muscle proteins and meat quality: a review

“…In general, shortening is recognised as one of major contributors to decreased meat tenderness, where the shorter the sarcomere, the tougher the meat (Marsh and Leet 1966;Herring et al 1967;Tornberg 1996). Furthermore, the detrimental impact of heat shortening on meat tenderness has been reported (Marsh and Leet 1966;Davey and Gilbert 1973;Bowling et al 1978;Lee and Ashmore 1985;Hertzman et al 1993;Geesink et al 2000).…”

SmartStretch™ technology. III. The impact of medium voltage stimulation and SmartStretch™ technology on sheep topside (m. semimembranosus) meat quality traits under commercial processing conditions

“…Macfarlane, Harris, and Shorthose (1974) highlighted that another approach to preventing muscle shortening is to restrain muscles physically until they are in rigour mortis. Many studies such as Locker (1960) ;Herring, Cassens, Suess, Brungardt, and Briskey (1967); Davey, Kuttel, and Gilbert (1967); Devine, Payne, and Wells (2002) and Troy (2006) have proven the concept that pre-rigour excised muscles could be stretched in various ways with resultant improvements in tenderness.…”