Variation in post-mortem rate of glycolysis does not necessarily affect drip loss of non-stimulated veal

In this study the effect of the rate of post mortem pH fall on the water-holding capacity of meat from moderately chilled veal carcasses was investigated. Also the relationship between muscle protein denaturation and drip loss of veal was examined. Three groups of 10 Friesian Holstein male veal calves each were selected on the basis of their pH in M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) at 3 hr post mortem (pH(3)): (1) fast pH-fall, pH(3) < 6.2; (2) intermediate pH-fall, 6.5 < pH(3) < 6.6; (3) slow pH-fall, pH(3) > 6.7. After 48 hr of chilling the LTL was excised from the carcass and sampled for determination of drip loss, filter paper wetness, sarcomere length, protein solubility and transmission value. Differences in pH(3) were not associated with differences in drip loss, filter paper wetness or differences in protein denaturation. It is suggested that at the relatively high veal carcass chilling rate the effect of rate of pH-fall on protein denaturation and thus on drip loss is negligible. Drip loss of veal was highly correlated with both solubility of sarcoplasmic (r = -0.67; p < 0.001) and total muscle protein (r = -0.54; p < 0.01) and with transmission values (r = 0.66; p < 0.001). These results indicate that protein denaturation measurements may be a good predictor for drip loss of veal. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.