• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.1303-1308
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• 2004

The beef color stability during display of two muscles, m. longissimus thoracis and m. semitendinosus, of Japanese Shorthorn steers (n=14) was compared with that of Japanese Black steers (n=14). The beef color of each carcass was evaluated according to the Japanese Grading Standards at 24 h post mortem. Steak samples from muscles were over-wrapped with PVC film and displayed under fluorescent lights at $4^{\circ}C$ for 9 days. Metmyoglobin percentages of steak samples were determined at days 0, 3, 6 and 9. The overall grade of beef color of the carcasses of Japanese Shorthorn steers was significantly (p<0.05) lower than that of Japanese Black steers. The metmyoglobin percentages during the display of two muscles of Japanese Shorthorn steers were significantly (p<0.05) lower than those of Japanese Black steers. These results suggested that though beef color evaluation of the carcasses of Japanese Shorthorn steers was lower than that of Japanese Black steers, the beef color stability during the display of the muscle of Japanese Shorthorn steers was higher than that of Japanese Black steers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1014-1018
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• 2004

Relationships between muscle $\alpha$-tocopherol oncentrations and metmyoglobin percentages during display of six muscles, m. serratus ventralis (SV), m. psoas major (PM), m. gluteus medius (GM), m. semimembranosus (SM), m. semitendinosus (ST) and m. longissimus lumborum (LL), of Japanese Black steers slaughtered at 28 months of age were studied. Steers were supplemented with 0, 2,000 and 4,000 mg $\alpha$-tocopheryl acetate/head/day for 28 days prior to slaughter in the VE 0, the VE 2,000 and the VE 4,000 groups, respectively. $\alpha$-Tocopherol concentrations in PM, GM, SM, ST and LL of the VE 2,000 and the VE 4,000 groups were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of the VE 0 group. There were no significant (p>0.05) differences in $\alpha$-tocopherol concentrations in all muscles between the VE 2,000 group and the VE 4,000 group. The muscle $\alpha$-tocopherol concentrations ($\ell$/g meat) which can retard metmyoglobin formation in muscles were estimated to be 5.3 for SV, 4.5 for PM, 4.2 for GM, 4.0 for SM, 3.6 for ST and 3.5 for LL. The equation to predict color-shelf-life of each muscle from the $\alpha$-tocopherol concentration in each muscle could be obtained.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.299-300
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• 1989

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1364-1368
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• 2003

Effect of slaughter age (24, 28 and 38 months of age) on beef color stability during display of m. serratus ventralis, m. psoas major, m. semitendinosus and m. longissimus thoracis from Japanese Black steers was studied. Steak samples from muscles were over-wrapped with PVC film and displayed under fluorescent lights at $4^{\circ}C$ for 12 days. Percentages of metmyoglobin of steak samples were determined at days 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12. The percentage of metmyoglobin of m. psoas major at day 3 of display in the 24 months group was lower (p<0.05) than that in the 38 months group. The percentage of metmyoglobin of m. semitendinosus at day 6 of display in the 38 months group was higher (p<0.05) than that in the other groups. The percentage of metmyoglobin of m. longissimus thoracis at day 3 of display in the 24 months group was lower (p<0.01) than that in the other groups. The percentage of metmyoglobin of m. longissimus thoracis at day 6 (p<0.01), 9 (p<0.01) and 12 (p<0.05) of display in the 38 months group were higher than those in the other groups. Crude fat concentration in m. longissimus thoracis increased (p<0.05) after 28 months of age. $\alpha$-Tocopherol concentration in m. serratus ventralis in the 38 months group was higher (p<0.001) than that in the other groups. In m. psoas major the $\alpha$-tocopherol concentration in the 38 months group was higher (p<0.05) than that in the 24 months group. The $\alpha$-tocopherol concentration in m. longissimus thoracis increased (p<0.001) with age. These results suggested that in spite of increase in both the crude fat and the $\alpha$-tocopherol concentrations in m. longissimus thoracis, the beef color stability during display became short with age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.577-581
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• 2007

The effects of intramuscular fat on the sensory characteristics of M. longissimus dorsi in Japanese Black steers were investigated by a trained analytical panel (average 13.4 panelists). Five sets (10 head) of artificial identical twins were divided into 2 groups, high level of intramuscular fat group (HG) which utilized the fattening method of increasing intramuscular fat and low level of intramuscular fat group (LG) which did not use the above method. Regarding M. longissmus dorsi which was produced for use in the sensory evaluation, crude fat contents of HG and LG was 25.8% and 23.2% respectively (p<0.05). Warner-Bratzler shear force, water holding capacity, cooking loss and fatty acid composition of HG and LG were similar between the two groups. M. Longissimus dorsi taken from HG and LG were tested for their sensory characteristics by a trained panel. HG was given higher points for juiciness than LG (p<0.05). There were no significant differences for tenderness and flavor between the two groups. Overall acceptability which synthesized each of the sensory characteristics of HG and LG were 5.04 and 4.69 points respectively (p = 0.05). These results suggested that juiciness increased with the increase of intramuscular fat, and this raised the overall acceptability of M. longissimus dorsi.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.810-814
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• 1999

The influence of dietary vitamin E supplementation on meat color and ${\alpha}$-tocopherol concentrations in plasma, longissimus thoracis muscle and subcutaneous fat was investigated. Ten Japanese $Black{\times}Holstein$ crossbred steers were placed in three experimental groups receiving different supplements of vitamin E. Four steers (control) were fed no supplemental vitamin E. Two groups of three steers each, were supplemented with 500 mg dl-${\alpha}$-tocopherol acetate per animal daily for 175 days and 1,000 mg for 100 days, respectively, before slaughter. The ${\alpha}$-tocopherol concentration in plasma increased, as vitamin E were fed, and were related to the length of time and the amount of supplement. The ${\alpha}$-tocopherol concentrations in the muscle and the fat from the two supplemental groups did not differ significantly and were three or more times greater than those in the control group. Vitamin E supplementation did not affect the quantity of marbling of beef. Supplemental vitamin E stabilized the color of displayed beef around wavelengths of 500 nm and 640 nm. The two methods of vitamin E supplementation had similar effects on meat color. The effect of supplemental vitamin E on the color of beef with marbling was observed 2-3 days after slaughter and was followed for another two weeks.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.99-102
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• 1989

The level of serum alkaline phosphatase activity was determined in 7 Japanese Black steers at different ages. The isoenzyme activity of non-bone origin was estimated using a heat-inactivation technique. The activity of serum alkaline phosphatase (SALP, K-A unit) decreased as age (AGE, mo.) increased: SALP = 14.15 - 0.17 (${\pm}\;0.03$) AGE, r = -0.81, P<0.01, $S.E.\;{\pm}\;0.28$. The variation of the activity was greater in younger age than the older. The temperature of $58^{\circ}C$ for the treatment of heat inactivation of bovine serum appeared to be suitable. The percentage of heat inactivated enzyme activity negatively correlated with age and positively with the level of serum alkaline phosphatase activity. The activity of SALP of non-bone origin was inferred to stay at about constant level irrespective of age and that of bone origin decreased with age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.629-634
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• 1992

Seventeen Japanese Black steers were used to evaluate the influence of slaughter weight (550 kg, 600 kg or 650 kg), sire (two sires), concentrate feeding (barley or corn) and muscle (six muscles) on the following characteristics: pH value, cooking loss, shear value, moisture and crude fat contents. Crude fat contents were higher, and moisture content and shear values were lower in muscles from the large slaughter weight group 650 kg than those from other slaughter weight groups. Cooking loss, shear value, moisture and crude fat contents differed between sires. Corn feeding increased crude fat content in muscle compared to barley feeding. Muscles containing a large amount of intramuscular fat showed lower shear values and less cooking loss than those containing a small amount of intramuscular fat.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.1172-1185
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• 2019

Objective: Meat quality attributes in postmortem muscle tissues depend on skeletal muscle metabolites. The objective of this study was to determine the key metabolic compounds and pathways that are associated with postmortem aging and beef quality in Japanese Black cattle (JB; a Japanese Wagyu breed with highly marbled beef). Methods: Lean portions of Longissimus thoracis (LT: loin) muscle in 3 JB steers were collected at 0, 1, and 14 days after slaughter. The metabolomic profiles of the samples were analyzed by capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry, followed by statistical and multivariate analyses with bioinformatics resources. Results: Among the total 171 annotated compounds, the contents of gluconic acid, gluconolactone, spermidine, and the nutritionally vital substances (choline, thiamine, and nicotinamide) were elevated through the course of postmortem aging. The contents of glycolytic compounds increased along with the generation of lactic acid as the beef aging progressed. Moreover, the contents of several dipeptides and 16 amino acids, including glutamate and aromatic and branched-chain amino acids, were elevated over time, suggesting postmortem protein degradation in the muscle. Adenosine triphosphate degradation also progressed, resulting in the generation of inosine, xanthine, and hypoxanthine via the temporal increase in inosine 5'-monophosphate. Cysteine-glutathione disulfide, thiamine, and choline increased over time during the postmortem muscle aging. In the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes database, a bioinformatics resource, the postmortem metabolomic changes in LT muscle were characterized as pathways mainly related to protein digestion, glycolysis, citric acid cycle, pyruvate metabolism, pentose phosphate metabolism, nicotinamide metabolism, glycerophospholipid metabolism, purine metabolism, and glutathione metabolism. Conclusion: The compounds accumulating in aged beef were shown to be nutritionally vital substances and flavor components, as well as potential useful biomarkers of aging. The present metabolomic data during postmortem aging contribute to further understanding of the beef quality of JB and other breeds.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.1171-1176
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• 1999

The precision and reliability of the Computer Image Analysis technique using a desk top computer for extracting information from carcass cross section scans was evaluated by the repeatability (R) and coefficient of variation (CV) for error variance. The 6th and 7th ribs cross section of carcasses from 55 fattened Japanese Black steers were used. The image analysis was conducted using a desk top computer (Macintosh-Apple Vision 1710 Display) connected to a scanner and an image capture camera. Two software applications, Adobe Photoshop and Mac Scope were used interchangeably. The information extracted and measured were individual muscle area, circumference length, long and short axes lengths, muscle direction; distance between any two muscle centers of gravity; cross section total area, lean, fat, and bone. The information was extracted after the processes of scanning, digitization, masking, muscle separation, and binarization. When using the Computer Image Analysis technique by desk top computer, proper digitization and selection of scanning resolution are very important in order to obtain accurate information. The R-values for muscle area, circumference, long and axes lengths, and direction ranged from 0.95 to 0.99, whereas those of the distance between any two muscle centers of gravity ranged from 0.96 to 0.99, respectively. For the cross section total area, lean, fat, and bone it ranged from 0.83 to 0.99. Excellent repeatability measurements were observed for muscle direction and distance between any two muscle centers of gravity. The results indicate that the Computer Image Analysis technique using a desk top computer for extracting information from carcass cross section is reliable and has high precision.