Differential expression analysis of meat tenderness governing genes in different skeletal muscles of bovines.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare 12 different skeletal muscles of bovine (n = 15) with each other in terms of tenderness and meat-quality-related gene expressions. Tenderness values were evaluated by shear force, and ANK1, CAPN1, CAST, HSPB1, HSPA1A gene expressions were analyzed by using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: ANK1 gene showed significant differences between tender and tough muscles (P < 0.001) and was found to be more closely related to meat quality than CAPN1. No difference was found for CAST, HSPB1, and HSPA1A gene expressions between different parts of skeletal muscles (P > 0.05). The results also showed that the most convenient skeletal muscle for the meat quality studies is musculus psoas major. Furthermore, comparative use of musculus longissimus thoracis and musculus extensor digitorum muscles may give the most accurate results, rather than using other muscle groups in comparative studies between tender and tough muscles. CONCLUSION: ANK1 gene is a preferable biomarker for the determination of meat quality, and CAPN1 needs further studies. However, CAST, HSPB1, and HSPA1A genes may not be suitable biomarkers for the determination of meat quality based on this study. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of rosemary essential oil and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on meat quality and survival of pathogens in poultry fillets.

The effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil (REO) and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the survival of certain pathogens (Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes) in poultry fillets and on their meat quality during 7 days of refrigerated storage were investigated. Because REO at 0.05% and 0.1% had weak antibacterial activity and REO at 0.3%, 0.5% and 1.0% imparted unacceptable organoleptic properties, only REO at 0.2% was used to treat the poultry meat. The results showed that adding 0.2% REO to poultry fillets did not reduce the size of the population of S. Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes. However, REO treatment significantly decreased the L* (lightness) value and increased the a* (redness) value of stored fillets, and adding REO in combination with MAP reduced the level of lipid oxidation. In conclusion, in a suitable combination, REO can be applied to improve the quality of meat, but further studies should be conducted to determine the appropriate commercial level for different meat products.

Effect of rosemary essential oil and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on meat quality and survival of pathogens in poultry fillets

The effect of rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis L.) essential oil (REO) and modified-atmosphere packaging (MAP) on the survival of certain pathogens (Salmonella Typhimurium and Listeria monocytogenes) in poultry fillets and on their meat quality during 7 days of refrigerated storage were investigated. Because REO at 0.05% and 0.1% had weak antibacterial activity and REO at 0.3%, 0.5% and 1.0% imparted unacceptable organoleptic properties, only REO at 0.2% was used to treat the poultry meat. The results showed that adding 0.2% REO to poultry fillets did not reduce the size of the population of S. Typhimurium and L. monocytogenes. However, REO treatment significantly decreased the L* (lightness) value and increased the a* (redness) value of stored fillets, and adding REO in combination with MAP reduced the level of lipid oxidation. In conclusion, in a suitable combination, REO can be applied to improve the quality of meat, but further studies should be conducted to determine the appropriate commercial level for different meat products.

Meat quality characteristics of Turkish indigenous Hair goat kids reared under traditional extensive production system: effects of slaughter age and gender.

Meat quality characteristics of Turkish indigenous Hair goat kids reared under an extensive production system were investigated in this study. A total of 60 Hair goat kids (30 females and 30 males) were slaughtered at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months of ages. Slaughter age significantly affected meat quality characteristics. Cooking loss (P < 0.01) and shear force value (P < 0.001) increased with age. Meat color became darker red with increasing slaughter age (P < 0.001). The percentage of fat of musculus (M.) semimembranosus increased with age (P < 0.01). The percentage of saturated fatty acids was significantly higher (P < 0.01), whereas the percentage of unsaturated fatty acids was lower (P < 0.001) in the M. longissimus dorsi of the kids slaughtered at 3 months of age than those in the other age groups. The females had higher intramuscular fat than that in males (P < 0.001) and meat from male kids contained a higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acid than that from females (P < 0.01). In conclusion, meat from Hair kids slaughtered between 3 and 9 months of ages had better quality than those slaughtered at the other ages and also meat from male kids had better quality than those female kids slaughtered at the same age under extensive production system.

Effect of muscle stretching on meat quality of biceps femoris from beef.

The objective of this study was to examine the effect of muscle stretching on meat quality and ultrastructure of biceps femoris (BF) from beef. After slaughter, the right side of the carcasses were suspended from the Achilles tendon (AS; n=10), while the left sides were re-hanged from the pelvic bone (PS; n=10). Meat quality was evaluated by water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), color, shear force (SF) and sarcomere length (SL). As a result, PS had no impact on WHC, CL and color parameters. PS significantly decreased SF values by 7.5% only at 2 days postmortem. At pelvic suspended sides, SL was increased by 0.13 µm, 0.14 µm and 0.12 µm at 2, 7 and 10 days postmortem, respectively (P<0.001). Electron microscopy showed that the ultrastructure of BF have longer sarcomeres and smaller fiber diameter after PS. In conclusion, PS is a useful method for improving tenderness by stretching muscles.