Variations of early postmortem pH in carcasses of grass-fed steers and its relationship with glycolytic potential and meat quality traits

Authors

  • Nancy Jerez-Timaure Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, 5090000, Chile
  • Gaspar Brinckmann Escuela de Graduados, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, 5090000, Chile
  • Maureen Berkhoff Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, 5090000, Chile
  • Alfredo Ramírez-Reveco Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, 5090000, Chile
  • Pablo Strobel Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, 5090000, Chile

Keywords:

beef, color, tenderness, lactate, glycogen, glucose

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the multivariate relationship between the glycolytic potential, and meat quality traits from grass-fed steers carcasses with variations in early postmortem pH. From a contemporary group of steers (n=70) from the same production unit and slaughtered under similar conditions, thirty carcasses (10/group) were selected based on pH values measured at 3h (pH3h): Low (< 6.2), Intermediate pH3h (6.2–6.5), and High (> 6.5). Carcasses segregated by pH3h groups were different (p < 0.05) in muscular glycogen (MCG), glucose (G+G6P) content, glycolytic potential (GP) and GPstrict (GP without lactate content). The interaction pH3h groups × sampling time was significant only for lactate content (LC) (p < 0.05). Quality traits, except redness, did not vary (p > 0.05) among pH3h groups. Color variables had a positive and moderate correlation with MGC, G+G6P, LC, and GP. Results does not allow to recommend early carcass segregation by very early pH (3h postmortem); however, important bivariate and multivariate relationships between G+G6P, lactate content and instrumental color parameters in LL muscle from grass-fed cattle were demonstrated.

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Articles

Published

2022-12-31

How to Cite

Jerez-Timaure, N., Brinckmann, G., Berkhoff, M., Ramírez-Reveco, A., & Strobel, P. (2022). Variations of early postmortem pH in carcasses of grass-fed steers and its relationship with glycolytic potential and meat quality traits. Agricultural and Food Science, 31(4), 229–240. https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.121501
Received 2022-08-31
Accepted 2022-12-09
Published 2022-12-31