Effect of the muscle biochemical characteristics on the tenderness of aged meat in young goatling (Capra nubiana) animals

The effect of muscle biochemical characteristics on the tenderness of goatling meat was examined in Semimembranosus (SM), Semitendinosus (ST) and Longissimus (L) muscles. Twelve goatling of Nubia breed were slaughtered at 55 days of age, the muscles were obtained at 1 hour postmortemand aged for 8 days at 4°C.pH decline rate, metabolism, contraction rate, cathepsins B and B%2bL activities and tenderness (myofibrillar toughness) were evaluated at different ageing times. This study showed that in goatling muscles, the pH decline rate and metabolism type directly influencedon the activity of cathepsins B%2bL andtheir activity decline rate. Cathepsin B%2bL activity presented a quadratic correlation (R2=0.88) with myofibrillar toughness and it was associated with the final meat tenderness. The term “goatling” refers only to young animals and it is suggests that an ageing period is necessary to improve theirtenderness. © 2015, Pakistan Agricultural Scientists Forum. All Rights Reserved.

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