ABSTRACTSemimembranosus muscle samples from young (24 – 29 months) and old (48 – 54 months) buffalo and Brahman‐Shorthorn steers of similar carcass weights, within age groups, were heated for 1 hr at 11 temperatures from 40 – 95°C. Warner‐Bratzler initial yield force values indicated that myofibrillar strength was not affected by animal age or species. For stretched muscles, (where effects due to differences in myofibrillar contraction state would be minimal), peak force and peak force minus initial yield force values were greater (a) for older animals only when cooking temperatures were>60°C and (b) for buffalo than for beef over the 40 – 95°C range. These results suggested that there were species differences in the mechanical properties of undenatured as well as partially denatured con
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