Pre-rigor Semimembranosus, Triceps brachii and Supraspinatus muscles were removed from 10 steers to determine effects of several glycolysis-inhibiting compounds on pH, tenderness and color. Muscles were injected and tumbled with 10% of sodium citrate, sodium fluoride, sodium acetate, or calcium chloride. Sodium citrate and sodium fluoride increased pH values in Semimembranosus, Triceps brachii and Supraspinatus. Tenderness improved in Triceps brachii and Supraspinatus with calcium chloride, sodium fluoride and sodium citrate when compared with controls. Color values were not different among treatments. Sodium citrate and sodium fluoride were successful in improving beef tenderness by maintaining a high pH in pre-rigor muscles

Calkins, Chris R.

Jerez, Nancy

Velazco, Jesus

English

UNL | Libraries

University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln 
Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports Animal Science Department 
January 2000 
Adding Value to Low-Quality Beef Muscles through Glycolytic 
Inhibition in Pre-rigor Muscle 
Nancy Jerez 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln 
Chris R. Calkins 
University of Nebraska-Lincoln, ccalkins1@unl.edu 
Jesus Velazco 
Instituto Tecnológico y Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, México 
Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr 
 Part of the Animal Sciences Commons 
Jerez, Nancy; Calkins, Chris R.; and Velazco, Jesus, "Adding Value to Low-Quality Beef Muscles through 
Glycolytic Inhibition in Pre-rigor Muscle" (2000). Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports. 373. 
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr/373 
This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Animal Science Department at 
DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nebraska Beef Cattle 
Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 
2000 Nebraska Beef Report — Page 80
Adding Value to Low-Quality Beef Muscles
through Glycolytic Inhibition in Pre-rigor Muscle
Muscle has an ultimate pH near 5.6.
Higher muscle pH has been associated
with enhanced tenderness, although most
high pH meat is also darker in color. The
opportunity exists to inhibit glycolysis,
the metabolic pathway responsible for
production of lactic acid which lowers
muscle pH during development of rigor
mortis. Our study was conducted to evalu-
ate pre-rigor injection of different com-
pounds for their effects on pH, color and
tenderness of low-value beef cuts.
Procedure
Ten steers (22 to 24 months of age,
1,133 to 1,488 pounds live weight) were
slaughtered at the University of Nebraska
Meat Laboratory. Pre-rigor Semimem-
branosus (from the round), Triceps
brachii and Supraspinatus muscles (from
the chuck) were excised from both car-
cass sides. Muscles were randomly as-
signed to treatments: sodium citrate (200
mM), sodium fluoride (200 mM), so-
dium acetate (200 mM), and calcium
chloride (300 mM). Control samples
remained in the carcass at 40 °F for 24
hours, to simulate commercial condi-
tions. Treatments were identified in a
preliminary experiment (1999 Nebraska
Beef Report, pp. 77-78). Calcium chlo-
ride was compared with the glycolytic
inhibitors. At two hours postmortem,
each muscle was injected with a volume
equal to 8 % of the muscle weight. Each
muscle was individually packaged (2 %
of solution was added to complete 10 %
of muscle weight) and tumbled for 30
min. Samples were taken for analysis
three days after injection. Sarcomere
length was determined by neon laser
diffraction. pH was measured using a
pH-meter with a combined glass elec-
trode. A Hunter Lab Mini Scan Plus was
used to evaluate color instrumentally for
L*, a* and b* values. Water holding
capacity was defined as the percentage
of muscle weight removed by centrifu-
gation. Meat samples were cooked on a
grill to an internal temperature of 158oF.
Tenderness was measured by shear force
Nancy Jerez
Chris Calkins
Jesús Velazco1
Pre-rigor injection of specific
glycolytic inhibitors may be an
effective strategy to enhance ten-
derness of low-quality beef muscles.
Summary
Pre-rigor Semimembranosus, Tri-
ceps brachii and Supraspinatus mus-
cles were removed from 10 steers to
determine effects of several glycolysis-
inhibiting compounds on pH, tender-
ness and color. Muscles were injected
and tumbled with 10% of sodium cit-
rate, sodium fluoride, sodium acetate,
or calcium chloride. Sodium citrate and
sodium fluoride increased pH values in
Semimembranosus, Triceps brachii
and Supraspinatus. Tenderness
improved in Triceps brachii and
Supraspinatus with calcium chloride,
sodium fluoride and sodium citrate when
compared with controls. Color values
were not different among treatments.
Sodium citrate and sodium fluoride
were successful in improving beef
tenderness by maintaining a high pH
in pre-rigor muscles.
Introduction
Many beef muscles are low in quality
and value because they lack tenderness.
Given that the value of the beef chuck
and round has dropped 20-30 % over the
past 5-6 years, strategies should be de-
veloped to enhance tenderness of these
low-quality muscles.
Table 1. Effect of pre-rigor injection with glycolytic inhibitors in Triceps brachii muscles.
Treatments
Variable Calcium Sodium Sodium Sodium
Control Chloride Acetate Fluoride Citrate
L*e 28.18 32.15 31.36 28.27 29.56
a*f 25.26a 23.17abc 21.87bc 23.83ab 21.18c
b*g 6.50 6.23 6.38 6.39 5.72
WHCh 36.66 40.09 36.36 35.27 37.76
Sarcomere length, µm 2.41a 1.31b 1.53b 1.41b 1.62b
pH 5.28d 5.67b 5.48c 5.92a 5.73b
Shear force, lb. 12.50a 10.69b 14.26a 11.41ab 9.47b
a,b,c,dmeans within a row having different superscripts differ (P<.05).
eL*= lightness; 100= white, 0= black
fa*= redness; -80= green, 100= red
gb*= yellowness; -50= blue, 70= yellow
hWater Holding Capacity, %
Page 81 — 2000 Nebraska Beef Report
using the Instron Universal Testing
Machine. Data were analyzed by one-
way analysis of variance. Means were
separated using the least significant dif-
ference procedure.
Results
Sodium citrate and sodium fluoride
showed (P<.05) the highest pH values in
Triceps brachii (Table 1), in Semimem-
branosus (Table 2) and in Supraspina-
tus muscles (Table 3).
Table 2. Effect of pre-rigor injection with glycolytic inhibitors in Semimembranosus muscles.
Treatments
Variable Calcium Sodium Sodium Sodium
Control Chloride Acetate Fluoride Citrate
L*e 29.15 29.44 32.06 27.06 30.18
a*f 27.57a 24.88ab 20.99b 22.48b 21.38b
b*g 7.10 6.58 5.86 5.99 5.85
WHCh 36.54 41.71 39.35 38.22 41.99
Sarcomere length, µm 1.81a 1.48c 1.73ab 1.52bc 1.72ab
pH 5.24d 5.60c 5.38d 6.00a 5.81b
Shear force, lb. 14.65 12.74 14.59 12.45 11.70
a,b,c,dmeans within a row having different superscripts differ (P<.05).
eL*= lightness; 100= white, 0= black
fa*= redness; -80= green, 100= red
gb*= yellowness; -50= blue, 70= yellow
hWater Holding Capacity, %
Table 3. Effect of pre-rigor injection with glycolytic inhibitors in Supraspinatus muscles.
Treatments
Variable Calcium Sodium Sodium Sodium
Control Chloride Acetate Fluoride Citrate
L*d 28.99 30.86 33.68 28.21 30.51
a*e 24.19 24.27 21.67 16.66 20.87
b*f 6.26 3.38 6.16 5.41 5.59
WHCg 40.03 36.71 35.94 34.19 32.72
Sarcomere length, µm 2.13a 1.30c 1.43bc 1.58b 1.46bc
pH 5.45c 5.54c 5.64c 6.14a 5.86b
Shear force, lb. 14.85ab 12.10c 16.73a 13.51bc 11.15c
a,b,cmeans within a row having different superscripts differ (P<.05).
dL*= lightness; 100= white, 0= black
ea*= redness; -80= green, 100= red
fb*= yellowness; -50= blue, 70= yellow
gWater Holding Capacity, %
Shear force values decreased in Tri-
ceps brachii samples (P<.05) treated
with calcium chloride (10.69 lb), so-
dium fluoride (11.41 lb) and sodium
citrate (9.47 lb) compared with control
(12.50 lb). In Supraspinatus, calcium
chloride and sodium citrate also caused
a significant (P<.05) decline in shear
force (12.10 and 11.15 lb., respectively)
compared to control (14.85 lb.). The
same trend was observed in Semimem-
branosus muscle, but these differences
were not significant (P>.05).
Sarcomeres lengths, an indicator of
the contraction state of the muscle, were
shorter with calcium chloride, sodium
fluoride, sodium acetate and sodium
citrate (1.31, 1.41, 1.53 and 1.62 µm,
respectively) than the control (2.41 µm)
in Triceps brachii. Pre-rigor excised
muscles are more susceptible to shorten-
ing because there is no skeletal restraint.
Treated Supraspinatus and Semimem-
branosus muscles also showed sarcom-
ere shortening.
The higher pH and lower shear force
of the samples with sodium fluoride and
sodium citrate in comparison with the
control showed high pH favors tender-
ness in meat. Even though sodium fluo-
ride and sodium citrate increased pH in
all muscles studied, which could indi-
cate glycolytic inhibition occurred,
water-holding capacity was not affected
by treatments (P>.05).
Hunter color L* (lightness) and b*
values (yellowness) were not different
among treatments (P>.05). However,
treated Semimembranosus and Triceps
brachii muscles had less red color (lower
a* values) than the control (P<.05). This
result could indicate that brine injection
affected color intensity of meat.
Sodium citrate and sodium fluoride
were successful in improving beef ten-
derness, without detriment to lean color,
by maintaining a high pH in pre-rigor
muscles. Pre-rigor injection of specific
glycolytic inhibitors may be an effective
strategy to increase value of low-quality
beef muscles.
1Nancy Jerez, graduate student; Chris Calkins,
Professor, Animal Science, Lincoln; Jesús Velazco,
Instituto Tecnológico y Estudios Superiores de
Monterrey, México.


Adding Value to Low-Quality Beef Muscles through Glycolytic Inhibition in Pre-rigor Muscle

DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska

University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports Animal Science Department January 2000 Adding Value to Low-Quality Beef Muscles through Glycolytic Inhibition in Pre-rigor Muscle Nancy Jerez University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chris R. Calkins University of Nebraska-Lincoln, ccalkins1@unl.edu Jesus Velazco Instituto Tecnológico y Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, México Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr  Part of the Animal Sciences Commons Jerez, Nancy; Calkins, Chris R.; and Velazco, Jesus, "Adding Value to Low-Quality Beef Muscles through Glycolytic Inhibition in Pre-rigor Muscle" (2000). Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports. 373. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/animalscinbcr/373 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Animal Science Department at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. 2000 Nebraska Beef Report — Page 80Adding Value to Low-Quality Beef Musclesthrough Glycolytic Inhibition in Pre-rigor MuscleMuscle has an ultimate pH near 5.6.Higher muscle pH has been associatedwith enhanced tenderness, although mosthigh pH meat is also darker in color. Theopportunity exists to inhibit glycolysis,the metabolic pathway responsible forproduction of lactic acid which lowersmuscle pH during development of rigormortis. Our study was conducted to evalu-ate pre-rigor injection of different com-pounds for their effects on pH, color andtenderness of low-value beef cuts.ProcedureTen steers (22 to 24 months of age,1,133 to 1,488 pounds live weight) wereslaughtered at the University of NebraskaMeat Laboratory. Pre-rigor Semimem-branosus (from the round), Tricepsbrachii and Supraspinatus muscles (fromthe chuck) were excised from both car-cass sides. Muscles were randomly as-signed to treatments: sodium citrate (200mM), sodium fluoride (200 mM), so-dium acetate (200 mM), and calciumchloride (300 mM). Control samplesremained in the carcass at 40 °F for 24hours, to simulate commercial condi-tions. Treatments were identified in apreliminary experiment (1999 NebraskaBeef Report, pp. 77-78). Calcium chlo-ride was compared with the glycolyticinhibitors. At two hours postmortem,each muscle was injected with a volumeequal to 8 % of the muscle weight. Eachmuscle was individually packaged (2 %of solution was added to complete 10 %of muscle weight) and tumbled for 30min. Samples were taken for analysisthree days after injection. Sarcomerelength was determined by neon laserdiffraction. pH was measured using apH-meter with a combined glass elec-trode. A Hunter Lab Mini Scan Plus wasused to evaluate color instrumentally forL*, a* and b* values. Water holdingcapacity was defined as the percentageof muscle weight removed by centrifu-gation. Meat samples were cooked on agrill to an internal temperature of 158oF.Tenderness was measured by shear forceNancy JerezChris CalkinsJesús Velazco1Pre-rigor injection of specificglycolytic inhibitors may be aneffective strategy to enhance ten-derness of low-quality beef muscles.SummaryPre-rigor Semimembranosus, Tri-ceps brachii and Supraspinatus mus-cles were removed from 10 steers todetermine effects of several glycolysis-inhibiting compounds on pH, tender-ness and color. Muscles were injectedand tumbled with 10% of sodium cit-rate, sodium fluoride, sodium acetate,or calcium chloride. Sodium citrate andsodium fluoride increased pH values inSemimembranosus, Triceps brachiiand Supraspinatus. Tendernessimproved in Triceps brachii andSupraspinatus with calcium chloride,sodium fluoride and sodium citrate whencompared with controls. Color valueswere not different among treatments.Sodium citrate and sodium fluoridewere successful in improving beeftenderness by maintaining a high pHin pre-rigor muscles.IntroductionMany beef muscles are low in qualityand value because they lack tenderness.Given that the value of the beef chuckand round has dropped 20-30 % over thepast 5-6 years, strategies should be de-veloped to enhance tenderness of theselow-quality muscles.Table 1. Effect of pre-rigor injection with glycolytic inhibitors in Triceps brachii muscles.TreatmentsVariable Calcium Sodium Sodium SodiumControl Chloride Acetate Fluoride CitrateL*e 28.18 32.15 31.36 28.27 29.56a*f 25.26a 23.17abc 21.87bc 23.83ab 21.18cb*g 6.50 6.23 6.38 6.39 5.72WHCh 36.66 40.09 36.36 35.27 37.76Sarcomere length, µm 2.41a 1.31b 1.53b 1.41b 1.62bpH 5.28d 5.67b 5.48c 5.92a 5.73bShear force, lb. 12.50a 10.69b 14.26a 11.41ab 9.47ba,b,c,dmeans within a row having different superscripts differ (P<.05).eL*= lightness; 100= white, 0= blackfa*= redness; -80= green, 100= redgb*= yellowness; -50= blue, 70= yellowhWater Holding Capacity, %Page 81 — 2000 Nebraska Beef Reportusing the Instron Universal TestingMachine. Data were analyzed by one-way analysis of variance. Means wereseparated using the least significant dif-ference procedure.ResultsSodium citrate and sodium fluorideshowed (P<.05) the highest pH values inTriceps brachii (Table 1), in Semimem-branosus (Table 2) and in Supraspina-tus muscles (Table 3).Table 2. Effect of pre-rigor injection with glycolytic inhibitors in Semimembranosus muscles.TreatmentsVariable Calcium Sodium Sodium SodiumControl Chloride Acetate Fluoride CitrateL*e 29.15 29.44 32.06 27.06 30.18a*f 27.57a 24.88ab 20.99b 22.48b 21.38bb*g 7.10 6.58 5.86 5.99 5.85WHCh 36.54 41.71 39.35 38.22 41.99Sarcomere length, µm 1.81a 1.48c 1.73ab 1.52bc 1.72abpH 5.24d 5.60c 5.38d 6.00a 5.81bShear force, lb. 14.65 12.74 14.59 12.45 11.70a,b,c,dmeans within a row having different superscripts differ (P<.05).eL*= lightness; 100= white, 0= blackfa*= redness; -80= green, 100= redgb*= yellowness; -50= blue, 70= yellowhWater Holding Capacity, %Table 3. Effect of pre-rigor injection with glycolytic inhibitors in Supraspinatus muscles.TreatmentsVariable Calcium Sodium Sodium SodiumControl Chloride Acetate Fluoride CitrateL*d 28.99 30.86 33.68 28.21 30.51a*e 24.19 24.27 21.67 16.66 20.87b*f 6.26 3.38 6.16 5.41 5.59WHCg 40.03 36.71 35.94 34.19 32.72Sarcomere length, µm 2.13a 1.30c 1.43bc 1.58b 1.46bcpH 5.45c 5.54c 5.64c 6.14a 5.86bShear force, lb. 14.85ab 12.10c 16.73a 13.51bc 11.15ca,b,cmeans within a row having different superscripts differ (P<.05).dL*= lightness; 100= white, 0= blackea*= redness; -80= green, 100= redfb*= yellowness; -50= blue, 70= yellowgWater Holding Capacity, %Shear force values decreased in Tri-ceps brachii samples (P<.05) treatedwith calcium chloride (10.69 lb), so-dium fluoride (11.41 lb) and sodiumcitrate (9.47 lb) compared with control(12.50 lb). In Supraspinatus, calciumchloride and sodium citrate also causeda significant (P<.05) decline in shearforce (12.10 and 11.15 lb., respectively)compared to control (14.85 lb.). Thesame trend was observed in Semimem-branosus muscle, but these differenceswere not significant (P>.05).Sarcomeres lengths, an indicator ofthe contraction state of the muscle, wereshorter with calcium chloride, sodiumfluoride, sodium acetate and sodiumcitrate (1.31, 1.41, 1.53 and 1.62 µm,respectively) than the control (2.41 µm)in Triceps brachii. Pre-rigor excisedmuscles are more susceptible to shorten-ing because there is no skeletal restraint.Treated Supraspinatus and Semimem-branosus muscles also showed sarcom-ere shortening.The higher pH and lower shear forceof the samples with sodium fluoride andsodium citrate in comparison with thecontrol showed high pH favors tender-ness in meat. Even though sodium fluo-ride and sodium citrate increased pH inall muscles studied, which could indi-cate glycolytic inhibition occurred,water-holding capacity was not affectedby treatments (P>.05).Hunter color L* (lightness) and b*values (yellowness) were not differentamong treatments (P>.05). However,treated Semimembranosus and Tricepsbrachii muscles had less red color (lowera* values) than the control (P<.05). Thisresult could indicate that brine injectionaffected color intensity of meat.Sodium citrate and sodium fluoridewere successful in improving beef ten-derness, without detriment to lean color,by maintaining a high pH in pre-rigormuscles. Pre-rigor injection of specificglycolytic inhibitors may be an effectivestrategy to increase value of low-qualitybeef muscles.1Nancy Jerez, graduate student; Chris Calkins,Professor, Animal Science, Lincoln; Jesús Velazco,Instituto Tecnológico y Estudios Superiores deMonterrey, México.

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Adding Value to Low-Quality Beef Muscles through Glycolytic Inhibition in Pre-rigor Muscle

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