Changes in collagen properties and cathepsin activity of beef M. semitendinosus by the application of ultrasound during post-mortem aging

Lin Wang; Jingjun Li; Shuang Teng; Wangang Zhang; Peter P Purslow; Ruyu Zhang

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108718

Changes in collagen properties and cathepsin activity of beef M. semitendinosus by the application of ultrasound during post-mortem aging

Meat Sci. 2022 Mar:185:108718. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108718. Epub 2021 Nov 19.

Authors

Lin Wang¹, Jingjun Li², Shuang Teng³, Wangang Zhang⁴, Peter P Purslow⁵, Ruyu Zhang⁶

Affiliations

¹ Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: 2019108067@njau.edu.cn.
² College of Food Science and Technology, Anhui Science and Technology University, Chuzhou 233100, China.
³ Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: tengshuang@njau.edu.cn.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: wangang.zhang@njau.edu.cn.
⁵ Tandil Centre for Veterinary Investigation (CIVETAN), National University of Central Buenos Aires Province, Tandil B7001BBO, Argentina. Electronic address: ppurslow@vet.unicen.edu.ar.
⁶ Key Laboratory of Meat Processing and Quality Control, Ministry of Education China, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing, Quality and Safety Control, College of Food Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, China. Electronic address: 2018208025@njau.edu.cn.

PMID: 34837884
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108718

Abstract

The effects of ultrasound (0, 300 and 600 W for 20 min at the frequency of 20 kHz) followed by postmortem aging (0, 4 and 8 d aging time) on beef quality were evaluated. Ultrasound treatment, aging time and their interaction all significantly affected the pH and tenderness of beef (p < 0.05). Furthermore, ultrasound improved the cathepsin B + L activities and the solubility of collagen compared with the control without ultrasound treatment (p < 0.05). In terms of microstructure, the perimysium was ruptured by the ultrasound treatment which caused the collagen fibers to be disorderly and loosely arranged. In addition, ultrasound could affect the structural stability of collagen resulting in a significant reduction of thermal denaturation temperature (p < 0.05). The results showed that ultrasound could improve beef tenderness during postmortem aging by changing collagen structure and regulating the activities of cathepsin B + L.

Keywords: Beef quality; Cathepsin; Collagen; Postmortem aging; Ultrasound.

MeSH terms

Aging
Animals
Cathepsins*
Cattle
Collagen
Hamstring Muscles*
Meat
Muscle, Skeletal
Postmortem Changes

Substances

Collagen
Cathepsins