Strategies to improve beef tenderness by activating calpain-2 earlier postmortem. (January 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Colle, M.J.; Nasados, J.A.; Rogers, J.M.; Kerby, D.M.; Colle, M.M.; Van Buren, J.B.; Richard, R.P.; Murdoch, G.K.; Williams, C.J.; Doumit, M.E.
• Is Part Of: Meat science. Volume 135(2018)
• Page Start: 36
• Page End: 41
• Publication Date: 2018-01
• Subjects: Beef -- CaCl2 -- Calcium -- Calpain-2 -- Freezing -- Tenderness; Meat -- Periodicals; Meat industry and trade -- Periodicals; Viande -- Périodiques; Viande -- Industrie -- Périodiques; Meat; Meat industry and trade; Periodicals; 641.36
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2017.08.008
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0309-1740

Abstract

Abstract: Our objectives were to determine the effect of post rigor calcium chloride injection or freezing on 1) sarcoplasmic calcium concentration and calpain-2 activity of beef longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) steaks aged 1, 4, and 14 days post-treatment and on 2) Warner-Bratzler shear force, water holding capacity, and consumer acceptability of LL and SM steaks aged 4 and 14 days post-treatment. Free calcium levels in the calcium, frozen, and control steaks averaged 1256, 127, and 121 μM for the LL and 1520, 120, and 111 μM for the SM, respectively. Measurable LL native calpain-2 activity was lower in calcium and frozen steaks than control steaks ( P < 0.01), while SM native calpain-2 activity was lowest in calcium steaks and intermediate in frozen steaks ( P < 0.01). LL calcium steaks were more tender ( P = 0.04) than control steaks. In conclusion, calcium chloride injection and freezing activate calpain-2 earlier postmortem in both muscles and calcium injection improves LL tenderness.