Myosin heavy chain isoforms expression, calpain system and quality characteristics of different muscles in goats

Electrical stimulation and wet ageing effects on the carcass and meat quality of Australian rangeland goats

Medium voltage electrical stimulation and wet ageing periods effects on the carcasses and meat quality of Australian rangeland goats were investigated. 64 rangeland goats were slaughtered as 2 equal consignments, wherein half were exposed to post-dressing electrical stimulation (300 V, 500 ms pulse width, 45 s) and half were not (control). Carcass and pH decline parameters and glycogen concentration were recorded. At 24 h post-mortem, fresh colour was measured and longissimus lumborum muscles (LL) removed. Within carcass, paired LL were halved and allocated to each of 4 ageing periods (1, 2, 4, or 21 d). There were no significant effects from electric stimulation on LL pH at 18 °C, LL temperature at pH 6, LL pH at 24 h post-mortem, semitendinosus pH at 24 h post-mortem, and LL glycogen concentration. There were no significant interactions between stimulation and ageing period on cooking loss, particle size, purge loss, sarcomere length, shear force, and ultimate pH. Independent to stimulation, shear force, particle size, and cooking values declined as ageing period increased. Purge loss was highest after 21 d of ageing. Colour stability was unaffected by ageing, although all CIE colour coordinates varied across the 74 h total retail display period. There were negative linear relationships found between LL glycogen concentrations and LL temperature at pH 6, ultimate pH, and sarcomere length. These findings suggest there to be little benefit to post-dressing electrical stimulation of rangeland goat carcasses, when applied independent to or in combination with ageing.

Perspective of sodium reduction based on endogenous proteases via the strategy of sodium replacement in conjunction with mediated-curing

NaCl is the main curing agent in dry-cured meat products, and a large amount of NaCl addition leads to high salt content of final products. Salt content and composition are important factors affecting the activity of endogenous proteases, which in turn could affect proteolysis as well as the quality of dry-cured meat products. With the increasing emphasis on the relationship between diet and health, reducing sodium content without sacrificing quality and safety of products is a great challenge for dry-cured meat industry. In this review, the change of endogenous proteases activity during processing, the potential relationship between sodium reduction strategy, endogenous proteases activity, and quality were summarized and discussed. The results showed that sodium replacement strategy and mediated-curing had a complementary advantage in influencing endogenous proteases activity. In addition, mediated-curing had the potential to salvage the negative effects of sodium substitution by affecting endogenous proteases. Based on the results, a sodium reduction strategy that sodium replacement in conjunction with mediated-curing based on endogenous proteases was proposed for the future perspective.

Exploring the versatility of carbohydrates in surimi and surimi products: novel applications and future perspectives

Carbohydrate is one kind of the most important additives in the production of surimi and surimi products, mainly due to its wide range of sources and superior functionality. In recent years, new carbohydrates (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides) have been gradually applied in the production of surimi and surimi products which is mainly driven by consumer requirement on nutritional and the flavors or taste quality and producer requirement on extending the shelf life, like low calorie intake, dietary fiber enrichment, rich taste and improvement of antioxidant properties. Besides anti-freezing and improvement in gelling ability, novel functionalities have been explored such as fat substitution, improving flavor, antibacterial effect, antioxidant effect and improving three-dimensional printability. With an in-depth study of the mechanism of carbohydrate improving the qualities of surimi and surimi products, the application of carbohydrates in surimi would be more effective. Therefore, this review summarizes the new carbohydrates applied in the processing of surimi and surimi products, and their novel functionalities. Additionally, progress of the research on the mechanism of carbohydrate improving the qualities of surimi is also reviewed. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Myosin heavy chain isoform expression and meat quality characteristics of different muscles in yak (Bos grunniens)

Myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms and meat quality characteristics of different muscles were investigated to explore their potential relationships in yaks. Results showed that semitendinosus (ST), longissimus thoracis (LT), and infraspinatus (IS) have a greater ratio of MHC IIb (47.84%), MHC IIa (73.27%), and MHC I (24.26%), respectively, than the other two muscles. Compared with LT or ST, IS exhibited more intense color, greater water-holding capacity, and initial tenderness with higher intermuscular fat (IMF) and collagen (of lower cross-linking level), presenting overall better quality. Variations in MHC isoforms accounted for the muscle-specific meat quality. Specifically, MHC I was positively associated with redness, myoglobin, IMF, collagen, pH, and thermal stability and negatively associated with myofibril fragmentation index, fiber thickness, collagen cross-linking, and drip loss. These results provide insights into the relationships between MHC isoforms and meat quality in yaks and the MHC I isoform has an extensive influence on meat quality.

Comparison of muscle fiber characteristics and meat quality between newborn and adult Haimen goats

Goat meat is popular with consumers for its rich nutritional content. Muscle fiber characteristics have been shown to play a crucial role in determining the quantity and quality of meat. However, little is known about the temporal changes in muscle fiber characteristics and meat quality during growth in goats. In this study, muscle fiber type, fiber diameter, fiber cross-sectional area (CSA), glycolytic potential (GP), meat pH, and meat color were analyzed in the gastrocnemius (GAS), gluteus medius (GM), biceps brachii (BB), longissimus lumborum (LL) muscles from newborn (NHMG) and adult (AHMG) Haimen goats. The distribution of type I and type Π fiber in goats is not consistent across the four muscles and undergoes alterations with age. The diameter and CSA of the muscle fibers were similar among the four NHMG muscles. However, in AHMG, the LL muscle had the largest fiber in terms of both diameter and CSA, followed by BB, GM, and GAS muscles. Moreover, the CSA of type Π fibers was higher than that of type I fibers in both NHMG and AHMG. GP values ranged from 90 to 140 umol/g across the muscle and no significant differences were observed. AHMG had a higher pH level and a* value, but lower L* and b* values than NHMG. Overall, our findings enhance our understanding of the changes in muscle fiber type and meat quality during the growth in Haimen goats and provide a basis for future research on the development and transformation of muscle fibers in goats.

Effect of Different Roughage Sources in Fermented Total Mixed Ration and Energy Intake on Meat Quality, Collagen Solubility, Troponin T Degradation, and Fatty Acids of Native Thai Cattle Longissimus Muscle

The effects of roughage sources in the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) and the level of energy intake on meat quality, collagen solubility, and troponin T degradation in longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of native Thai cattle (NTC) were investigated. Results showed that roughage source affected fatty acid composition in the LT muscle (p < 0.05), as NTC fed Pakchong 1-Napier-based FTMR had higher monounsaturated fatty acid content and ω 6:ω 3 ratio. The high-energy ad libitum group had lower drip loss, lower shear force, and higher percent collagen solubility (p < 0.05). However, energy intake had no effect on troponin T degradation and fatty acid composition (p > 0.05). Longer aging of 14 days showed lower shear force values, higher collagen solubility, and troponin T degradation rate but higher cooking loss (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the meat quality of NTC could be improved by ad libitum feeding with NG-FTMR, as their meat had higher MUFA content, lower drip loss, lower shear force, and higher collagen solubility. In addition, the tenderness of NTC meat could be further improved by longer aging of 14 days post-mortem.

Validation of protein biological markers of lamb meat quality characteristics based on the different muscle types

This work investigated the ability of 8 potential biomarkers (phosphoglycerate kinase-1 (PGK1), pyruvate kinase-M2 (PKM2), phosphoglucomutase-1 (PGM1), β-enolase (ENO3, myosin-binding protein-C (MYBPC1), myosin regulatory light chain-2 (MYLPF), troponin C-1 (TNNC1) and troponin I-1 (TNNI1)) to characterize meat quality by analyzing their relative abundance and enzymatic activity. Two different meat quality groups (Quadriceps femoris (QF) and Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscles) were selected at 24 h postmortem from 100 lamb carcasses. The relative abundance of PKM2, PGK1, PGM1, ENO3, MYBPC1, MYLPF, and TNNI1 was significantly different between LT and QF muscle groups (P < 0.01). Moreover, PKM, PGK, PGM, and ENO activity in LT muscle group was significantly lower than that in QF muscle (P < 0.05). Suggesting that PKM2, PGK1, PGM1, ENO3, MYBPC1, MYLPF, and TNNI1 can be used as robust biomarkers of lamb meat quality, providing the reference for understanding the molecular mechanism of postmortem meat quality formation in future.

Effect of high-concentrate diets on mRNA expression of genes related to muscle fiber type and metabolism of psoas major muscle in goats

In the process of modern breeding, high-concentrate diets are widely used to meet the high energy nutritional requirements of animals but change the form of access to energy and nutrients and the way the organism metabolizes them. Goat psoas major (PM) muscle is a hybrid skeletal muscle whose characteristics are important for the motility and meat quality of goats. However, there are few studies on the effects of high-concentrate diets on the muscle type and metabolic characteristics of PM in goats. In this study, two treatment groups were set up: high concentrate group (HC) and control group (C). The expression of genes related to muscle type and metabolism of the PM was examined by quantitative PCR. The results showed that high concentrate promoted the conversion of PM fibers from intermediate to slow type at the mRNA level, improved the absorption, transport, and oxidation of fat by PM, and upregulated the expression of calpain system. These changes may be regulated by the involvement of differential expression of MSTN, Myf-5, and IGF-2. These results suggest that high concentrate may exert a positive effect on skeletal muscle function, metabolism, and meat quality in goats by affecting the expression of muscle type and metabolism-related genes.

Application of iTRAQ Technology to Identify Differentially Expressed Proteins of Sauce Lamb Tripe with Different Secondary Pasteurization Treatments

Vacuum-packed sauce lamb tripe was subjected to secondary pasteurization by high-pressure processing (HPP) and heat treatment (HT), and iTRAQ technology was applied to investigate the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). The analysis revealed 484 and 398 DEPs in the HPP and HT samples, respectively, compared with no treatment. These DEPs were sorted by texture results, and it was revealed that these DEPs acted in different biological processes with many structural proteins and protein subunits related to lamb tripe texture. The results verified by Western blot were consistent with the protein expression changes observed by proteomics. The bioinformatics analysis showed that the hardness and gumminess of the sauce lamb tripe after HT might be related to changes in the expression of CNN1 and FN1. The changes in the expression of TMP, FN1, YWHAG, TTN, collagen isoforms, and ARPC3 might be related to the improved springiness and chewiness of lamb tripe after HPP.

Effects of Guanidinoacetic Acid Supplementation on Productive Performance, Pectoral Myopathies, and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

Simple Summary

Genetic selection for rapid growth is accompanied with challenges in meat quality such as pectoral myopathies, which lead to downgrading of breast muscle and economic losses for slaughterhouses. This experiment evaluated the effects of guanidinoacetic acid supplementation at rate of 0%, 0.06%, and 0.12% on the productive performance and meat quality of broiler chickens. Result showed that wooden breast was manifested by low creatine and high ultimate pH, and more associated with heavy birds. Guanidinoacetic acid supplementation increased muscle glycogen, reduced the ultimate pH, and reduced the incidence of wooden breast severity. In conclusion, guanidinoacetic acid can be used in broiler diets to improve the productive performance without exacerbating pectoral myopathy or affecting meat quality.

Abstract

The effects of guanidinoacteic acid (GAA) supplementation on productive performance, pectoral myopathies, and meat quality of broilers were studied. Treatments consisted of corn/soybean-based diets with a GAA supplement (0%, 0.06%, and 0.12%). A total of 546 one-day-old Ross-308 males were randomly allocated to 42 floor pens with 14 replicates (13 birds/pens) for each treatment. The results showed that GAA at doses of 0.06% and 0.12% improved feed conversion, increased the percentage of normal breast, and decreased the severity of wooden breast. Breast muscle myopathy severity was positively correlated with heavy birds and negatively correlated with breast muscle creatine and glycogen. Breast muscle creatine and glycogen correlated positively with normal, less severe pectoral myopathies and meat quality. In conclusion, GAA supplementation improved broiler performance without exacerbating pectoral myopathy or affecting meat quality.

Effect of Postmortem Phases on Lamb Meat Quality: A Physicochemical, Microstructural and Water Mobility Approach

To investigate the effect of postmortem phases on lamb meat quality, the physicochemical quality, microstructure and water mobility of oyster cut, short loin, knuckle and silverside muscles from Small-Tail Han sheep were evaluated in the pre-rigor, rigor mortis and post-rigor phases. Pre-rigor lamb meat had higher pH and water holding capacity (WHC), whereas lower CIE L*, b*, hue angle values than rigor mortis and post-rigor meat (p<0.05). The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) values were higher in rigor mortis short loin and silverside than their pre-rigor and post-rigor counterparts, pre-rigor short loin had lower WBSF value than its post-rigor counterpart (p<0.05). Muscle fibers shrank laterally and longitudinally during the onset of rigor mortis. Rigor mortis and post-rigor lamb meat exhibited wide I-bands, dark A-bands, short sarcomeres and large inter-myofibrillar spaces. The shift of immobilized water to free water and repulsion from the intra-myofibrillar space to the extracellular space result in the increase of water loss in rigor mortis and post-rigor lamb meat. The results of the principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that rigor mortis and post-rigor lamb meat had similar quality properties but different from pre-rigor lamb meat. In conclusion, the lamb meat in the pre-rigor phase had good tenderness, color and WHC. The results of this research could provide some theoretical references for lamb meat production and processing.

The Effects of Using Pineapple Stem Starch as an Alternative Starch Source and Ageing Period on Meat Quality, Texture Profile, Ribonucleotide Content, and Fatty Acid Composition of Longissimus Thoracis of Fattening Dairy Steers

The effects of different starch sources (ground corn (CO), ground cassava (CA) and pineapple stem starch (PI)) and ageing period (14 and 21 days) on meat characteristics of Holstein steers were investigated. Starch sources had no effect on meat characteristics, while meat aged for 14 days had less thawing loss than that aged for 21 days. Meat from steers fed PI had higher levels of inosine monophosphate (IMP) than the others (p < 0.05). With increasing duration of ageing, the content of IMP and guanosine monophosphate in the meat decreased, while the content of hypoxanthine increased (p < 0.05). Meat from steers fed CO had the highest oleic acid but the lowest erucic acid (p < 0.05) in contrast to meat from steers fed PI, which had the lowest oleic acid but the highest erucic acid. Steers fed CO appeared to produce healthier meat as this was positively associated with monounsaturated fatty acid content. Meat from steers fed PI had higher levels of IMP, which may be associated with good taste.

Carcass Composition, Meat Quality, Calpain Activity, Fatty Acid Composition and Ribonucleotide Content in Southern Thai Native Goats and Three-Way Crossbred Goats

Carcass composition, meat quality, calpain activity, fatty acid composition, and ribonucleotide content were examined and compared between male Southern Thai native goats (NG, n = 10) and three-way crossbred goats (CG, 50% Boer × 25% Saanen × 25% Southern Thai native, n = 10). All animals were fed 1.5% body weight of concentrate (16% protein and 70% total digestible nutrients) and fresh Napier grass for 4 months. At the end of raising period, the final weight between the two genotypes was not significantly different. The percentage of carcass, bone, and fat of CG were higher than those of NG. NG presented lower shear force values, insoluble and total collagen content but higher collagen solubility and calpain-1 activity at 24 h postmortem. Additionally, NG meat was high in monounsaturated fatty acids but low in saturated fatty acids. However, the amount of ribonucleotide was no significant difference between two genotypes.

Meat quality, post-mortem proteolytic enzymes, and myosin heavy chain isoforms of different Thai native cattle muscles

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the meat quality characteristics, endogenous proteolytic enzymes, collagen content, and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) isoforms of different muscles of Thai native cattle (TNC).

METHODS

Infraspinatus (IF), Longissimus thoracis (LT), and Supraspinatus (SS) muscles were obtained from two TNC breeds, Kho-Lan (KL, n = 7) and Kho-Isaan (KI, n = 7). The muscle and meat characteristics of TNC breeds and their relationship with MyHC expression were examined.

RESULTS

Three MyHC isoforms namely MyHC I, MyHC IIa, and MyHC IIx were detected in the muscles. The KL had higher (p<0.05) MyHC IIx than the KI. The IF muscle had higher (p<0.05) MyHC I compared to other muscles. The LT muscle had the least MyHC I. The LT had higher (p<0.05) MyHC IIx than the IF and SS muscles. The IF presented the least MyHC IIx. The KL had higher (p<0.05) lightness and moisture content and lower crude protein, redness, cooking loss, shear force, and calpastatin than the KI. The glycogen, total collagen, soluble collagen, crude protein, ash contents, and troponin T degradation product of IF and SS were lower (p<0.05) than that of LT. Ether extract in LT was lower (p<0.05) than that of IF and SS. The percentage of MyHC I, MyHC IIa, and MyHC IIx were significantly correlated with muscle and meat characteristics of TNC.

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that the differences in the MyHC isoforms may partly account for the variation in meat quality between breeds and among muscles of TNC.