RATE OF PH DECLINE IN BEEF MUSCLE STORED AT ABOVE-FREEZING AND BELOW-FREEZING TEMPERATURES

A highly significant linear relationship exists between pH decline and lactic acid accumulation during development of rigor mortis in beef stemomandibularis muscle at both ‐3°C and 15°C. No acceleration of the “overall” rate of rigor development was observed in these muscles as the storage temperature was reduced from 0 to ‐3°C. It was observed, however, that the rate of rigor development over the first 5‐7 hr of storage was greater at both 0 and ‐2°C than at 15°C. The complex, nonlinear rates of pH decline, especially at 0 and ‐2°C were mathematically evaluated using spline analysis to define the rates of rigor development during storage. Copyright © 1979, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved