Effects of carcass maturity on meat quality characteristics of beef semitendinosus muscle for chinese native yellow steers.

摘要

Effects of carcass maturity were investigated on meat quality characteristics and intramuscular connective tissue of beef semitendinosus muscle from Chinese native Yellow cattle (steers). Raw and cooked meat were analysed at 4 days post mortem. In raw meat, intramuscular fat, collagen solubility, mechanical strength and transition temp. of intramuscular connective tissue increased (P < 0.05) with carcass maturity before body maturation, whilst moisture, total collagen and fibre diam. decreased after body maturation. Warner-Bratzlar shear force (WBSF) of cooked meat increased with maturity before body maturation due to muscle atrophy. After carcass maturation, the increase of WBSF was neutralised by the increase in intramuscular fat, the decrease in total collagen and the elongation of sarcomere length.