Influence of weak organic acids and salts on the denaturation characteristics of intramuscular connective tissue. A differential scanning calorimetry study

Intramuscular connective tissue obtained from Longissimus dorsi muscle of a Lt-year-old beef carcass was treated with NaCl solutions of 2, 4, and 6% (w/v), and CaCl2 solutions of 50, 100, and 150 mM, and citric and lactic acid solutions of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% for three different marinating periods (24, 46, and 72 h). Changes in denaturation characteristics were investigated using differential scanning calorimetry and it was found that the denaturation onset temperature (T-o) and the denaturation peak temperature (T-p) increased as the NaCl concentration increased but decreased as the CaCl2 concentration increased, irrespective of marinating time. Lactic and citric acid decreased T-o to about 39 degreesC, from over 60 degreesC breaking the structure of fibrils. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.