Factors Affecting Collagen Solubility in Bovine Muscles

Abstract

SUMMARY— Solubility of intramuscular collagen was studied as affected by chronological maturity in 15 bovine longissimus dorsi and 15 semimembranosus muscles and as affected by post‐mortem contraction state in the semitendinosus of 7 animals. Collagen solubility decreased significantly with each advancing maturity group in both longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscles. Collagen solubility was also higher (P < 0.05) in the longissimus dorsi than in the semimembranosus, except in the E maturity group. It was also related to panel tenderness in both muscles (r = 0.77 and 0.81 (P < 0.01) for longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscles, respectively. However, within‐maturity group correlations of solubility of collagen and tenderness were low and nonsignificent.Collagen content did not differ significantly in longissimus dorsi muscles of animals of A, B, and E maturity groups; however, the semimembranosus had more collagen (P < 0.05) in E than in A and B maturity groups. Collagen content was not related (P > 0.05) to panel tenderness in either muscle (r =−0.42 and −0.48 for longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus, respectively). Neither collagen solubility nor collagen content was significantly affected by post‐mortem contraction state. Furthermore, collagen solubility did not increase significantly with post‐mortem aging up to ten days.