Aging Index, Lysosomal Enzyme Activities,and Meat Tenderness in Muscles from Electrically Stimulated Bull and Steer Carcasses

Abstract

ABSTRACT Correlations among biochemical indexes and muscle tenderness were evaluated in longissimus samples from bull and steer carcasses. Electrical stimulation increased carcass temperature,which was significantly (P<0.05) correlated with shear force, aging index, carcass pH pH, and microsomal and percentage free lysosomal enzyme activities. Aging index was not correlated with the decrease in carcass pH elicited by electrical stimulation.Meat from steer carcasses was more tender, displayed more negative aging indexes, and had greater soluble activities of glucuronidase and cathepsin B than meat from bull carcasses.