Post mortem changes

The changes taking place in meat after slaughter may be grouped under two heads

1. Onset of rigor mortis and

2. Development of tenderness in muscle

 Onset of rigor mortis: The first biochemical change occurring in muscle is rapid
glycolysis of the glycogen represented by the presence of enhanced lactic acid
content in muscle. The lactic acid content of muscle after rigor mortis is as high as
0.9 per cent. The muscle becomes stiff due to rigor mortis. Rigor mortis was
correlated with the disappearance of ATP. In the absence of ATP, actin and myosin
combine to form rigid chains of actinomyosin. Just before an animal is slaughtered,
the muscles are soft and pliable. But immediately upon death, stiffening of the
carcass known as rigor mortis occurs. It is 24-48 hours in beef.

 Conditioning or tenderization of meat: When meat is stored at < 0 0C, biochemical

changes take place in meat leading to the development of tenderness in meat. This
process is called conditioning of meat. The tenderness is due to:

 Denaturation of the meat proteins and

 Mild hydrolysis of denaturated meat proteins by the enzyme cathepsin present in
meat
The increase in tenderness is followed by an increase in water soluble amino
nitrogen indicating mild proteolysis of the muscle proteins.

Contrary to the general belief, there is practically no change in the connective

tissues and collagen. There is no increase in water soluble hydroxyl proline
peptides indicating collagen has not been acted upon by proteolytic enzymes.

Other postmortem physical changes in muscle are:

22.3.1 Change in pH
Decrease in pH due to lactic acid formation is accompanied by various exothermic reactions
such as anaerobic glycolysis. pH changes from physiological pH i.e 7.2-7.4 to ultimately
post-mortem pH i.e 5.3-5.5 in 24 hrs. This has profound effect on muscle portion of meat.
Usually glycolysis ceases even before the glycogen is depleted.
22.3.2 Change in temperature
Temperature of animal increases from 37.6-39.0ºC. This is the reason why animal cools
slowly during refrigeration as a result of continuous production of heat. This phenomenon is
known as animal heat. Removal of animal heat by chilling or refrigeration is essential to
ensure longer shelf-life of meat.
22.3.3 Change in proteins
Due to the change in pH and high temperature, colour of meat changes and water holding
capacity (WHC) also decreases. Sarcoplasmic proteins get denatured and attached to the
surface of myofilament, which produces change in meat colour which becomes light. Water
holding capacity of myofibril proteins decreases resulting in exudation of fluid.
Sarcoplasmic proteins are more labile with respect to physiological conditions prevailing in
the post- mortem muscles. These proteins are highly susceptible to disruption as compared
with myofribrilar proteins. Sarcoplasmic proteins during rigor mortis denatured below pH
6.0 and at 37ºc.
22.3.4 Change in water holding capacity
Water holding capacity is the function of respective proteins which binds with water. In pre-
rigor stage meat possesses a high water holding capacity but later it decreases during first
hour following death of animals. Lowest water holding capacity is found at its iso-electric
pH i.e. 5.3-5.5. After post-rigor aging water holding capacity is found to be increased
because of increase in osmotic.
During post mortem movement of Na. K, Mg, and Ca in muscles takes place. But during
aging there is continuous release of Na & Ca. and uptake of K ions continued up to 6-8 days.
The movement of cations produces an increased electrical charge on muscle protein which
facilitated the formation of hydrated ions. This is believed to be the reason of increased
water holding capacity during aging of meat.

 Artificial tenderization of meat: Cold storage facilities are required for the natural
tenderization of meat. Artificial tederization of meat has been developed by using
proteolytic enzymes such as papain (from papaya), bromelin ( from pineapple) or
trypsin (from pancreas). The enzyme is usually injected into the animal, half an hour
before slaughtering. The meat obtained from such animal becomes tender within 24
hours.

These post-mortem effects bring about changes in the quality attributes of meat, such
as
 Texture
 Water-holding capacity
 Colour and
 Flavour
Nutritional quality is not that much affected.

 Aging:
 If meat is held cold for sometime for 1 or 2 days after it has completed rigor
mortis, the muscles again becomes soft and pliable with improved flavour and
juiciness which is called resolution of rigor. Some changes that take place
during this period are known as ageing or ripening.
 During ageing there is progressive tenderisation of meat owing to the
denaturation of the muscle proteins by the intracellular proteolytic enzymes,
 the cathepsins.
 Ageing or ripening is done by holding meat at 0.50 to 200C temperature in a
cold room. Aging may take 1-4 weeks. The best flavour and the greatest
tenderness develop in meat aged from 2 to 4 weeks.
 During ageing, humidity of the cold room is to be controlled and meat may
also be affected by holding it at a higher temperature for a shorter time
usually 200 C for 48 hours.
 Ageing with even higher temperature for lesser time is practised
commercially. In such cases, ultraviolet light is used to keep down surface
bacterial growth.
 Beef is usually the only kind of meat that is commercially aged. Lamb and
mutton are occasionally aged. Pork is never aged because of its high fat
content.

 Tenderising

Tenderness is the most desired characteristics in meat. The amount and distribution
of connective tissues and the size of both muscle fibres and bundles of fibre
determine the tenderness of meat. The number and strength of cross linkages between
the peptide chains of collagen increase with the age of the animal and this decreases
the amount of collagen that may be solubilised during cooking thus contributing to
decreased tenderness. There are different methods of tenderising meat. Exercise
increases tenderness of meat.

 Cold-room storage results in the ripening of meat with tenderising from the
natural enzymes of meat.
 The mechanical methods of tenderising meats include pounding, cutting,
grinding, needling or pinning and the use of ultrasonic vibrations. Mechanical
methods cut or break the muscle fibres and connective tissues.
 The art of using enzymes for tenderising meat is an old one.

 Wrapping of meat in papaya leaves before cooking results in

tenderisation. This is the result of the action of the enzyme papain on
meat proteins.
 Other enzymes used for meat tenderisation are

 Bromelain from pineapple

 Ficin from figs
 Trypsin from pancreas and fungal enzymes.
These proteolytic enzymes

 Catalyze the hydrolysis of one or more meat

proteins.
  The enzymes also hydrolyze the elastin of the
connective tissues.
 To achieve uniform tenderness, papain is
injected into the veins of
 animals some 10 minutes before their slaughter.
 Tenderising enzymes remain active until the meat is heated. Papain is inactive
at 55oC.
 Meat may be tenderised by the use of low levels of salts.

 Salts increase the water-holding capacity of muscle fibres

resulting in tenderness and juiciness.
 Salt also solubilises the meat proteins.
 Tenderness of meat is improved when freezer dried meat is
rehydrated in a weak salt solution instead of water.
 Salts used for tenderising are

 Sodium chloride
 Sodium bicarbonate and
 Sodium and potassium phosphate.
 Another method of increasing tenderness in meat is by change of pH.
 Decreasing or increasing the pH of meat increases hydration and to its
tenderness.
 Soaking beef for 48hrs in concentrated vinegar increases its
tenderness and juiciness.
 Exercised animals give tender meat.

 Curing of Meat
 Curing of meat brings about the modification in meat that
effects preservation, unique flavour, red colour and tenderness due to added
curing agents.
 The ingredients used for curing of meat are
 Common salt
 Salt retards microbial growth and gives flavour to meat
 Sodium nitrate or nitrite
 Nitrite fixes the red colour of myoglobin, develops flavour and
inhibits clostridium botulinum
 Sugar
 Sugar helps stabilize colour, counteract saltiness and also add
flavour
 Spices
 Spices are added mainly for flavour
 During the curing process, the curing mixtures may be rubbed dry on the
surface of cut meat or the meat may be immersed in a solution of the curing
agent (pickling).
 The curing ingredients may be much more rapidly and uniformly distributed
throughout the meat by pumping the solutions via an artery if it is intact or the
cure may be injected with multiple needles into the cut of meat.
 As per Codex Alimentarius, the nitrate in meat products can be 150-500
mg/kg.