ISSN:
1750-3841
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Agriculture, Forestry, Horticulture, Fishery, Domestic Science, Nutrition
,
Process Engineering, Biotechnology, Nutrition Technology
Notes:
Alterations in the morphology of beef longissimus dorsi, psoas major, semitendinosus, and supraspinatus muscles induced by electrical stimulation were studied at the light and electron microscopic levels. Samples of control and electrically stimulated muscles were removed from the carcass at 0.5-, l-, 6-, and 24-hr postmortem, processed, and embedded in plastic. Changes induced by electrical stimulation were compared with those in normal autolysis in control muscle. Light microscopic examination revealed contraction bands and intracellular edema in the stimulated muscle samples while the control showed no sign of morphological change. At the electron microscopic level, electrical stimulation caused specific structural changes in the muscles. Swollen sarcoplasmic reticulum, mitochondria, and T-tubules were observed in the stimulated muscle samples. In addition, contraction banding, intracellular edema, disintegration of the myofibril, and other morphological deviations were also observed. These data are in agreement with published work that mechanisms other than the prevention of cold shortening bring about tenderization of the resultant meat. This was partially explained by the accelerated autolysis seen in stimulated striated muscles and was an active rather than passive effect as proposed by cold shortening alone.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2621.1980.tb03861.x
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