Use of Sodium Citrate to Enhance Tenderness and Palatability of Pre-Rigor Beef Muscles

The objective of this project was to evaluate the response in tenderness and consumer acceptability of three muscles from the chuck that were pumped pre-rigor with different concentrations of sodium citrate solutions to inhibit glycolysis, while maintaining skeletal restraint for 24 hours. Controls were left on carcass, while the other three treatments had the thoracic limb removed and muscles pumped post-mortem to 10% of their weight with solutions of 0 mM, 200 mM or 400 mM sodium citrate. Although tenderness ratings were not always statistically different (comparing controls vs. 400 mM solution), there was a clear trend showing higher concentrations of sodium citrate make beef more tender and acceptable to consumers