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Comparison of proteolytic enzyme levels in lamb, pig, rabbit and chicken muscle: role in meat tenderization post mortem

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 November 2017

P J Blanchard ,
D Mantle  and
J P Chadwick
P J Blanchard
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, King George VI Building, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
D Mantle
Affiliation:
Neurochemistry Department, Regional Neurosciences Centre, Newcastle General Hospital, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 6BE, UK
J P Chadwick
Affiliation:
Department of Agriculture, King George VI Building, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, UK
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Extract

Although the improvement in tenderness resulting from post mortem refrigerated storage of carcasses is of considerable commercial importance, the mechanism(s) by which this process occurs is unknown, although it has been suggested that intramuscular protein catabolizing proteolytic enzymes may play a key role (Etherington, 1984). In order to develop a clearer understanding of the biochemical mechanisms underlying meat tenderization, the objective of this work was therefore to compare the proteolytic capacity of muscle from species known to differ markedly in rate of meat tenderization (approximate time shown in parenthesis): chicken (2days), lamb (4 days), pig (5 days) and rabbit (8 days).

Two methods were used to quantify muscle proteolytic capacity: (i) at point of slaughter, a comprehensive range of cytoplasmic and lysosomal protease types were determined using specific fluorimetric procedures; (ii) in vitro, using tissue homogenate based time course assays to measure (via analytical electrophoresis) the rate of structural protein degradation by endogenous or lysosomal proteases.

Type
Meat Quality
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Production (1972) , Volume 1994 , March 1994 , pp. 178
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Production 1994

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References

Blanchard, P J, Ellis, M, Maltin, C, Falkous, G, Harris, J, Mantle, D. (in press). Effect of growth promoters on pig muscle structural protein and proteolytic enzyme levels in vivo and in vitro. Biochimie, 75.Google Scholar
Etherington, D J. 1984. The contribution of proteolytic enzymes to postmortem changes in muscle. Journal of Animal Science 59, 1644–1650.Google Scholar