Ageing

• Also known as conditioning, tenderising or ripening

• In the absence of microbial spoilage the holding of
unprocessed meat above the freezing point under
controlled condition is called ageing or conditioning.
• It has been associated with an increase in tenderness,
juiciness and flavour.
• Hygienic practices during slaughter ensure satisfactory
storage of meat carcasses for a few hours to few days
at room temperature and for about 6 weeks at
temperature just above freezing point (-1.5oC).
• When meat is stored above the freezing point, all
the biochemical changes usually occurs at reduced
or slow rate.
• Atmospheric oxidation of fat, which causes
rancidity, proceeds very slowly as meat is usually
stored in the dark and enzyme action in the fat
which lead to the production of free fatty acids is
also very slow.
• The action of bacteria is retarded but not
arrested at these temperatures.

• While proteolytic enzyme of muscle fibres is

definitely active and brings about a desirable
change known as conditioning or ripening
which is manifested by a marked increase in
flavour, juiciness and tenderness of meat.
 Types of ageing
A. Dry ageing:
• This is a traditional process of placing an entire
carcass or wholesale cuts (without any packaging) in
a refrigerated room for 3-4 wks at 0-1°C, relative
humidity of 85-90% with an air velocity of 0.5
m/sec.
• Inedible crust are form at the outer surface of carcass
and this should be trimmed off and discarded.
• Carefully controlled environment, time involved and
the loss of outer portion of the carcass make dry
aging costly.
B. Wet ageing:
• This is the predominant method of ageing these days
where wholesale or primal cuts are put in vacuum
bags & held at 0-1°C for 7-10 days.
• Here plastic bags or packaging material are does not
allow loss of moisture so meat may absorb that
moisture which results in an increase in juiciness
and tenderness.
• Both the methods of ageing works well and can
create a better products.

• The difference is that dry ageing gives a more

distinctive flavor while wet ageing is much less
costly and giving products which having longer self
life.
 Significant changes during ageing

1. Protein denaturation
• Myofibrillar & sarcoplasmic proteins denature to a
varying degree.
• Connective tissue proteins (collagen & elastin) do not
undergo denaturation or less changes are occurred.

2. Proteolysis
• Denatured proteins are susceptible to the action of
proteolytic enzymes.
a. Calpains/Ca activated sarcoplasmic factor (CASF)
Location: present in sarcoplasm of muscle fibre, pH
optima: >6, Acts upon: Troponin T, Z lines (desmin), M
line protein & tropomyosin
• This calcium ions concentration seems to weaken the
structures of myofibrils, desmine intermediate
filaments and probably the endomysium and
perimysium, thereby bringing about tenderisation of
meat.

• The basis of this theory are four phenomena,

induced in vitro by 0.1 mM calcium ions, which affect
1. the structural integrity of myofibrils: weakening of Z
disks,
2. weakening of rigor mortis linkages formed between actin
and myosin,
3. splitting of titin filaments and
4. fragmentation of nebulin filaments.
Types:
 m-calpain: activated by high millimolar conc.
of Ca (1-2 mM)
 µ-calpain: activated by low micromolar conc.
of Ca (50-100 µM)

b. Cathepsins: Location: present in lysosomes of

the muscle fibre, pH optima: <6
Types: Cathepsin B, Cathepsin L (most
important in ageing), Cathepsin D & Cathepsin H
Acts upon: Troponin T, I & C, titin, nebulin, α-
actinin, tropomyosin, actin & myosin; crosslinks of
collagen.
 Mechanism of ageing
• In this process major changes takes place in muscle
fibers but meat proteins are also affected by the different
meat enzymes particularly proteolytic enzymes.
• Some of the enzymes (calcium- activated proteases
calpins and cathepsin etc) acts on myofibrils an degrades
Z- lines therefore ultimately sarcomere is also separated
and this action produced loosening of myofibrillor
structure.
• Starching at this stage lead to fracture at the Z-disc which
is responsible for reduction in toughness of meat.
• Actomyosin bond remain intact as well as connective
tissues surrounding myofibril is also less affected by
enzymatic action.
• During this tenderization phase, degradation of myofi-
brillar and cytoskeletal proteins such as troponin,
desmin, vinculin, dystrophin, nebulin, and titin occurs
within the muscle.
• As these proteins degrade, muscle ultrastructure
changes as:
(1) breakage at the junction of the I - band and Z -
disk occur
(2) Z - to Z - line attachments are disrupted by the
degradation of intermediate filaments
(3) Z - and M - line attachments to the sarcolemma are
disrupted.
 Methods of Tenderization
Pre-slaughter method of tenderization

• Process of tenderization of meat by using certain

enzymes at pre-slaughter living stage of animal is called
Pro Ten Process which was introduced by Swift
Company of Chicago, USA in late 1950.
• In this method papain (obtain from papaya) solution is
injected in jugular veins of animals.
• Dose rate- 300 to 500 ml depending on Breed, age, sex
and weight of animals and for attaining maximum
tenderness, animals must be slaughtered with in 10-15
min of injection.
• Tenderness in meat can be achieved in low cost and
under shorter period of time and also there is no weight
loss due to the shrinkage and trimmings.

• But this method has not gain popularity because due to

 animal welfare and ethical consideration
 less acceptability of its texture and flavour
 Over tenderness of tongue, liver and kidney
 Animal treated with such type of enzymes may get
anaphylactic shocks, marked rigors and death.
Post-slaughter method of tenderization
Pot slaughter method of tenderization are widely
acceptable and applicable.

• Hanging and stretching (Tender stretch method of

hanging)
• By severing certain bone and ligaments (Tender cut
method)
• Tenderizing meat by hammering and muscle stretching.
• Quick freezing of carcass before sets of rigor mortis.
• Application of some enzymes.
• Infusion of calcium chlorides
• Electrical stimulation
• Vacuum packaging
Hanging and stretching ( Tender stretch method
of hanging)

• Shortening of muscle leads to toughness of meat so

stretching of muscles by hanging at certain points
produces tender meat.

• In traditional method of hanging, a hook is placed behind

the Achilles tendon. Hanging by aitch bone is generally
practiced for hot carcass, sides and quarters with in one
and half hours of slaughter. In this method only five
muscles of hind quarter becomes tender while other
remains tough.
• Drawback of this method is that it leads to slight
alteration in appearance of muscles but flavour, juiciness
and cutting quality of carcass remain same.

• In another method of Texas A & M university aitch bone

is used for hanging and hook is inserted in obturator
foramen or pope’s eye. By this way hind limb is relaxed.
By severing certain bone and ligaments (Tender
cut method)

• In this method meat are made tender by cutting and

splitting of certain bones and ligaments.

• In this method meat is induced by alteration in tension

on individual muscles in suspended carcase.

• For better result process should be carried out within 45

min of slaughter.
 Tenderizing meat by hammering and muscle
stretching

• In this method pressure of hammer over meat is induced

with stretching of muscles.

• In this way muscle fibre are broken down which leads

to decreases in toughness of muscle.
 Quick freezing of carcass before sets of rigor
mortis

• In this method carcass is quick freeze before set of rigor

mortis.
• Quick freezing produces small ice crystal in the meat
which causes structural damage in the muscles and by
this way it also release the enzymes which is
responsible for ageing
• Freezing at -10 °C has double the rate of ageing than
normal.
• The rate of ageing is almost trebles when meat is frozen
in liquid nitrogen.
 Application of some enzymes

• In this method various enzymes obtained from fruits,

bacteria and fungi are used.
• Most commonly used are:
Papain (proteolytic enzymes of Carcia papaya
commonly known as papaya)
Ficin (protease derived from figs)
Bromelin (proteolytic enzymes of pineapple)
• These enymes are used separately or in combination as
directly or in solution or powder form on cuts of carcass.
• Some drawback of enzymes includes
lack of uniformity in action of this enzymes
Discoloration
Granulation of meat surfaces etc.
 Infusion of calcium chlorides

• Infusion of calcium chloride is normally done in pre-

rigor muscles on post mortem.

• It accelerates the ageing process probably same as

calcium- activated proteases and calpins.

• In this method tenderization are occur by breakdown the

myofibrillar proteins immediately post mortem but
carcass should be held with high pH.
 Electrical stimulation

• Electrical stimulation is a application of electrical current

on carcase after slaughter.
• This method speed up the rigor mortis so on chilling of
meat, possibility of cold shortening reduces.
• Two type of electrical stimulation is used
 Higher voltage (500-1000 V, 5-6 A of current with 25
pulses per second for 2 seconds)
 Low voltage (<100 V)
• Higher voltage electrical stimulation is applied after 30
min of slaughter while low voltage is applies with in
fewer minutes of slaughter and preferably during
bleeding.
• This operation is carried out at dressing line between
evisceration and carcase splitting points. Two electrode
are used one at carcase neck muscle or nose and another
at hock.
• Its action is due to acceleration of rigor mortis. Current
is allied after slaughter leads to contraction in muscles
and use up glycogen, ATP and creatine phosphate so
rigor mortis is advance and pH about 6.0 is achieved
with in 2-3 hrs of slaughter.
• This condition lead to increase in tenderness of meat
and tenderness can be achieved in shorter period of
time.
• Other benefits are it avoid cold shortening, thaw
shortening, allows rapid chilling, produces better colour
and flavour.
Electrical stimulation of carcass
 Vacuum packaging

• When meat is stored in vacuum package in air free

environment then it retards the growth of spoilage
bacteria but ageing process continues.
• Tenderness achieved with in 28 days of storage as -1 °C
and optimum bloom and flavour can be achieved in this
time period.
• In this process slight sour or milky flavour appeared
when we open the packed but it dissipate shortly and it
can not affect flavour afterwards.