Journal article

A high rigor temperature, not sarcomere length, determines light scattering properties and muscle colour in beef M. sternomandibularis meat and muscle fibres

J Hughes, F Clarke, P Purslow, R Warner

Meat Science | ELSEVIER SCI LTD | Published : 2018

Abstract

Beef meat colour is impacted by both myoglobin status and the light scattering properties of the muscle, and the specific causative scattering elements of the latter are still unknown. We hypothesize that stretching muscles during rigor will generate a structure which favours light scattering, by increasing the length of the I-band (longer sarcomeres) and that a high rigor temperature will cause protein reconfiguration, changing the muscle structure and promoting light scattering. Muscle fibre fragments were isolated from four beef M. sternomandibularis and subjected to stretching (plus, minus) and three incubation temperatures (5, 15, 35 °C). Reflectance confocal laser scanning microscopy (..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by Meat and Livestock Australia


Funding Acknowledgements

The authors and CSIRO acknowledges funding provided by Australian Meat Processor Corporation (AMPC) (2013/3005) and matching funds provided from the Australian Government, via Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), to support the research and development detailed in this publication. The support of Griffith University, and in particular the Imaging and Image Analysis Facility, is also gratefully acknowledged. We also acknowledge the support of FONCyT (PRH-PICT 2013-3292). The authors have no competing interests to declare.