#5- Meat Tenderization- MEATS Exam B

How do you make meat more tender?

• Cause the sarcomeres to be longer

• Disrupt the integrity of the myofibrils

• Disrupt the integrity of the connective tissue

Cold Shortening

Process whereby sarcomeres shorten due to cold-induced nervous response. Results in tougher meat

Order of species’ fat that prevent cold shortening (or don’t)

• 0.10 inch Fat on lamb doesn’t prevent cold shortening

• beef prevents it a little more

• hogs don’t get cold shortening due to white fiber muscles, being fatter, and pH drops rapidly

What has to be done to prevent cold shortening?

Speed up the drop in pH in muscle and/or slow down drop in muscle temperature.

The least amount of cold shortening occurs at what temperature?

16°C

What two methods cause the sarcomere to be longer?

Prevent cold shortening and stretching the sarcomeres

What must the subcutaneous fat thickness be to prevent cold shortening?

• 0.10 inch in lamb

• 0.25 inch in beef

• does not occur in pork due to white muscle fibers

High-temperature, pre-rigor chilling must occur at what and for how long to prevent cold shortening?

16°C for 16 hours

How does electrical stimulation prevent cold shortening?

Causes a very rapid drop in muscle pH and quicker onset of rigor mortis

What are the ways to stretch the sarcomeres?

Texas A&M Tenderstretch, Stouffer’s stretching devices, and Tender Cut

What ways are used to disrupt the myofibrils?

• Increased activity of endogenous enzymes

• Addition of exogenous enzymes

• Severance of myofibrils

Calpains

Stored in cytosol near z-lines and require calcium to be activated

Calpastatin

Regulates calpains; the higher the calpastatin levels and activity then the less breakdown of myofibrils will occur

The addition of exogenous enzymes help in what way?

Heat activated and will degrade when activated by the heat to make the meat more tender

What are ways to disrupt the connective tissue?

• Use of exogenous enzymes

• Severance of stromal proteins

• Conversion of collagen to gelatin

Tropical plant enzyme for papaya

Papain

Tropical plant enzyme for pineapple

Bromelin

Tropical plant enzyme for Fig

Ficin

Tropical plant enzyme for Kiwi

Actinidin

Used for severance of myofibrils

Electrical stimulation, blade or needle tenderizer, mechanical severance, and Hydrodyne