• Food Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.639-644
• /
• 2005

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the myosin light chain (MLC) isoforms on the muscle fiber characteristics and meat quality traits in porcine longissimus muscle. Pale, soft, exudative (PSE) samples had a lower content of essential light chain (ELC) 1S isoforms and a higher proportion of the fiber type IIB than the reddish-pink, firm, non-exudative (RFN) samples. These compositions suggest that the PSE pork has a higher glycolytic and a lower oxidative capacity than the RFN pork. Therefore, these characteristics of PSE pork might affect the metabolic rate and meat quality traits, including protein solubility. In addition, the indicator traits of the postmortem metabolic rate were related to the ELC 1F/3F ratio ($pH_{45\;min}$: r = -0.43, P < 0.001; R-value: r = 0.53, P < 0.001). These results suggest that the MLC isoform composition can affect the postmortem metabolic rate and meat quality traits.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.45 no.1
• /
• pp.50-57
• /
• 2018

Meat comes from the skeletal muscles of farm animals, such as pigs, chickens, and cows. Skeletal muscles are composed of many muscle fibers. Muscle fibers are categorized into three types, fiber type I, IIA, and IIB, based on their contractile speed and metabolic properties. Different muscle fiber types have different biochemical, physiological, and biophysical characteristics. Especially, the characteristics of muscle fiber type I and IIB are opposite to each other. Muscle fiber type I has a relatively strong oxidative metabolic trait and a higher content of lipids. In contrast to fiber type I, muscle fiber type IIB has a strong glycolytic metabolic trait and a relatively lower content of lipids and a higher content of glycogen. Muscle fiber type IIA has intermediate properties between fiber type I and IIB. Thus, muscles with different fiber type compositions exhibit different ante- and post-mortem muscle characteristics. In particular, the different metabolic traits of muscles due to the different compositions of the fiber types strongly affect the biochemical and physiological processes during the conversion of muscle to meat and subsequently influence the quality of the meat. Therefore, understating muscle metabolism and muscle fiber characteristics is very important when discussing the traits of meat quality. This review is an overview on basic muscle metabolism, muscle fiber characteristics, and their influence on meat quality and finally provides a comprehensive understanding about the fundamental traits of muscles and meat quality.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.65 no.4
• /
• pp.865-877
• /
• 2023

Thirty Hanwoo cattle including bulls, cows, and steers (n = 10 each) were slaughtered and investigated for carcass traits (weight, meat color, fat color, yield index, maturity, marbling score, back-fat thickness, and firmness) and meat quality. The meat quality such as: pH, color, cooking loss, fatty acid, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance, warner-bratzler shear force, tensile tests, and texture profiles were analyzed on longissimus lumborum (LL) muscles of the carcasses at different aging times (3 d and 21 d). The results showed that steers and cows had higher back-fat thickness and marbling score, and a lower firmness (p < 0.001) than bulls. Bulls exhibited a lower meat quality indicating by higher cooking loss, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance content, warner-bratzler shear force and tensile test values (p < 0.01). Regarding the sensory property, the bull meat also had higher hardness, and lower tenderness, juiciness and flavor scores than the cow or steer meat (p < 0.01). Additionally, the bull meat had a higher polyunsaturated fatty acid and a lower monounsaturated fatty acid contents (p < 0.01). With increased aging time, the meat tenderness was improved in all the genders. Taken together, the present study demonstrated that the gender and aging time affected the carcass traits, fatty acid and sensory quality of beef. Postmortem aging could improve the meat tenderness of all genders especially bulls.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.65 no.2
• /
• pp.311-323
• /
• 2023

Beef consumers valued meat quality traits such as texture, tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and meat color that determining consumers' purchasing decision. Most research on meat quality has focused on marbling, a key characteristic related to meat eating quality. However, other important traits such as meat texture, tenderness, and color have not much studied in cattle. Among these traits, meat tenderness and texture of cattle are among the most important factors affecting quality evaluation of consumers. Collagen is the main component of connective tissues.It greatly affects meat tenderness. The objective of this study was to determine significant variants and candidate genes associated with collagen contents trait (total collagen) through genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Phenotypic and genomic data from 135 Hanwoo were used. The BLUPF90 family program and GRAMMAR method for GWAS were applied in this study. A total of 73 potential single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) showed significant associations with collagen content. They were located in or near 108 candidate genes. TMEM135 and ME3 genes were identified to have the most significant SNPs associated with collagen contents trait. Data indicated that these genes were related to collagen. Biological processes and pathways for the prediction of biological functions of candidate genes were confirmed. We found that candidate genes were involved in positive regulation of CREB transcription factor activity and actin cytoskeleton related to tenderness and texture of beef. Three genes (CRTC3, MYO1C and MYLK4) belonging to these biological functions were related to tenderness. These results provide a basis for improving genomic characteristics of Hanwoo for the production of tender beef. Furthermore, they could be used they could be used as an index to select desired traits for consumers.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.8
• /
• pp.1156-1166
• /
• 2023

Objective: Pork belly is a cut of meat with high worldwide demand. However, although the belly is comprised of multiple muscles and fat, unlike the loin muscle, research on their genetic parameters has yet to focus on a representative cut. To use swine breeding, it is necessary to estimate heritability against pork belly traits. Moreover, estimating genetic correlations is needed to identify genetic relationship among the traditional carcass and meat quality traits. This study sought to estimate the heritability of the carcass, belly, and their component traits, as well as the genetic correlations among them, to confirm whether these traits can be improved. Methods: A total of 543 Yorkshire pigs (406 castrated males and 137 females) from 49 sires and 244 dam were used in this study. To estimate genetic parameters, a total of 12 traits such as lean meat production ability, meat quality and pork belly traits were chosen. The heritabilities were estimated by using genome-wide efficient mixed model association software. The statistical model was selected so that farm, carcass weight, sex, and slaughter season were fixed effects. In addition, its genetic parameters were calculated via MTG2 software. Results: The heritability estimates for the 7th belly slice along the whole plate and its components were low to moderate (0.07±0.07 to 0.33±0.07). Moreover, the genetic correlations among the carcass and belly traits were moderate to high (0.28±0.20 to 0.99±0.31). Particularly, the rectus abdominis muscle exhibited a high absolute genetic correlation with the belly and meat quality (0.73±52 to 0.93±0.43). Conclusion: A moderate to high correlation coefficient was obtained based on the genetic parameters. The belly could be genetically improved to contain a larger proportion of muscle regardless of lean meat production ability.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.36 no.1
• /
• pp.84-89
• /
• 2016

The objective of this study was to compare carcass composition and meat quality traits in the longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris muscles in the Hyla, Champagne and Tianfu Black rabbit breeds. Tianfu Black rabbits had the heaviest head, skin, thoracic viscera and commercial carcass percentage (p<0.05). In addition, Tianfu Black had the highest pH_{0 h} value, followed by the Champagne and Hyla breeds (p<0.01) in the longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris muscles. Tianfu Black had a higher a* (0 h and 24 h) than the other two breeds in both longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris muscles (p<0.05). The Hyla, Champagne, and Tianfu Black breeds showed a similar pattern of differences for meat quality traits (pH, L*, a* and b*) measured in fresh meat (0 h) and meat stored for 24 h. Hyla had the highest IMF values of the three breeds (p<0.01). The lower intramuscular fat of Tianfu Black and Champagne rabbits gives them an advantage over Hyla rabbits among most consumers seeking lean rabbit meat.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.9
• /
• pp.1314-1326
• /
• 2023

Sheep and goats can efficiently convert low quality forage into high-quality meat which contains specific nutrients and quality traits. Carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat depend upon several factors and one of most effective strategies amongst these is feeding regimens. In this review, the major aspects of feeding regimens affecting growth rate, carcass traits and quality attributes of sheep and goat meat are thoroughly discussed, with a particular focus on physical-chemical composition, flavor profile, and fatty acid (FA) profile. Grazing lambs and kids receiving concentrate or under stall-feeding systems had greater average daily gain and carcass yield compared with animals reared on pasture only. However, growth rate was higher in lambs/kids grazing on pastures of improved quality. Moreover, the meat of grazing lambs receiving concentrate had more intense flavor, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and unhealthy FA composition, but comparable color, tenderness, juiciness, and protein content compared to that of lambs grazed on grass only. In contrast, meat of concentrate-fed lambs had more intense color, greater tenderness and juiciness, IMF and protein contents, and lower flavor linked to meat. Additionally, the meat of kids grazed on concentrate supplementation had higher color coordinates, tenderness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, whereas juiciness and flavor protein content were similar. In contrast, kids with concentrate supplementation had superior color coordinates, juiciness, IMF content and unhealthy FA composition, but lower tenderness and flavor intensity compared to pasture-grazed kids. Thus, indoor-finished or supplemented grazing sheep/goats had higher growth rate and carcass quality, higher IMF content and unhealthy FA composition compared to animals grazed on grass only. Finally, supplementation with concentrate increased flavor intensity in lamb meat, and improved color and tenderness in kid meat, whereas indoor-fed sheep/goats had improved color and juiciness as well as reduced flavor compared to pasture-grazed animals.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.410-417
• /
• 2019

The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of white striping abnormality and its consequences on the quality traits of raw and processed turkey breast (chemical composition, color traits, and water holding capacity). In total, about 2300 breasts from 22 flocks were used to assess the incidence and 60 breasts to evaluate the quality traits. Our study showed that the total incidence of moderate and severe white striping was 61.3% out of them, moderate cases were 49.4%. Severe white striped turkey breast exhibited significantly lower protein content (21.1 vs. 23.2 and 23.16%, p<0.05) and higher fat content (2.3 vs. 0.77 and 1.76%, p<0.05) if compared to normal and moderate white striped breast respectively. Moreover, moderate and severe white striped meat showed significantly higher redness (a*) (2.98 and 3.14 vs. 1.48, p<0.05) and yellowness (b*) indexes (7.27 and 7.95 vs. 4.05, p<0.05) than normal meat, respectively.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.509-513
• /
• 2013

We identified molecular markers associated with meat-quality traits in the porcine RPL27A (ribosomal protein L27a) gene. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were discovered in the porcine RPL27A gene: g.920T>C, g.1013T>C, and g.1046T>C. The g.920 T>C SNP was significantly associated with pH24 (P < 0.05) and collagen (P < 0.05), while the g.1013T>C and g.1046T>C SNPs were significantly associated with moisture (P < 0.05). Either the TTT or CCC haplotype was significantly associated with moisture, pH24 and collagen (P < 0.05, respectively). The genotypes of RPL27A associated with meat-quality traits were all located in intron 2. The three SNPs of the RPL27A found in this study will provide useful information for genetic characterization or association studies of meat-quality traits in other populations. Additionally, these markers could potentially be applied in pig breeding programs to improve meat-quality traits after validation in other populations.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.531-539
• /
• 2023

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of quality grade (QG), and back-fat thickness on the carcass traits and meat quality properties of Hanwoo steers. Fifty carcasses were sorted into two QG (QG 1+ and 1) and three back-fat thickness (<10 mm, 10 to 19 mm and ≥19 mm) groups. After investigating the carcass traits (rib eye, back-fat thickness, weight, color, yield index, maturity, marbling score, and texture), the longissimus lumborum muscles from the carcass groups were collected and analyzed for meat quality (pH, color, cooking loss, and moisture), texture profiles [Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and tensile tests], and fatty acid. Results showed that marbling score (p<0.001), moisture (p<0.05) and tensile tests values (p<0.05) had a significant differences between QG1+ and QG1. No differences in pH, color traits, cooking loss and WBSF values occurred between the QG groups. Regarding the back-fat thickness effect, we observed that the carcass weight, yield index (p<0.001), yield grade (p<0.001) and marbling score (p<0.05) had a significant differences among the back-fat thickness groups. Regarding the meat quality, moisture content and WBSF values (p<0.01) among the back-fat thickness groups. The back-fat thickness did not affect the pH, color, cooking loss and tensile tests. The QG and back-fat thickness did not affect the fatty acids contents (p>0.05). It may be concluded that the carcass traits and meat quality were significantly affected the QG and back-fat thickness.