Effect of Postmortem Aging Time and Temperature on Beef Muscle Attributes

Abstract

Bovine carcasses from animals of approximately 16 months of age, Choice grade, were studied to determine the effect of postmortem aging temperature and time on certain l. dorsi and semimembranosus muscle attributes. Aging the companion side of the carcass immediately after slaughtering at: (1) 7° C. for 24 hr. or 48 hr. and then 2° C; (2) 15° C. for 24 hr. or 48 hr. and then 2° C; or (3) 21° C. for 24 hr. and then 2° C. had no significant effect on tenderness when compared with the opposite side aged continuously at 2° C. These results suggest that muscle attached to the carcass becomes tender quite early postmortem and that aging at 7° C, 15° C, or 21° C. and then 2° C. does not significantly change tenderness. In most instances, other muscle attributes, juiciness, flavor, Warner-Bratzler shear, water-holding capacity and cooking loss, were also not affected by varying aging temperature and time. Copyright © 1969. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1969 by American Society of Animal Science