Comparison Of The Thermal Characteristics Of Connective Tissue In Loose Structured And Normal Structured Porcine M. Semimembranosus

摘要

The aim of the present study was to characterise the thermal properties of connective tissue in loose structured porcine SM muscles in comparison to normal looking SM muscles and to see whether the meat quality traits were related to the properties of connective tissue. Samples from the muscles with loose structure and light colour were selected by visual assessment and normal looking SM muscles were used as a control (n = 25 loose structured + 25 control). The loose structured muscles had lower ultimate pH (pH_u) than the control muscles. The onset and peak temperatures of thermal shrinkage of intramuscular connective tissue (T_o and T_p, respectively) in loose structured muscles were similar to those of control muscles when the full set of data (25 loose structured + 25 control) were analysed. When the T_o and T_p data from muscles the exhibiting ten lowest and ten highest pH_u values were analysed, the low pH_u muscles (all classified as loose structured) had lower T_o and T_p than the high pH_u muscles (all classified as control) (p < 0.05). Drip loss of loose structured SM muscles (11.1%) was dramatically higher than that of control muscles (3.9%). Collagen content and collagen solubility were similar in loose structured and control muscles. It seemed that changes in the properties of intramuscular connective tissue were more easier found in porcine SM muscles with low pH_u than in SM muscles with high pH_u.