The influence of beef carcass suspension on meat quality

V diplomskem delu smo analizirali več različnih raziskav, v katerih so proučevali vpliv načina obešanja klavnih polovic, za medenično zrast ali ahilovo tetivo, na senzorične lastnosti mesa, rezno trdoto, dolžino sarkomere in sposobnost mesa za zadrževanje vode ter vrednost pH. Ko klavne polovice obesimo za medenično zrast, se spremeni položaj zadnje noge in hrbtenice, kar vodi do tega, da so večina stegenskih mišic in dolga hrbtna mišica bolj raztegnjene oziroma se v času nastopa rigorja manj skrčijo. V pregledanih raziskavah so ugotovili, da se je pri dolgi hrbtni mišici dolžina sarkomere podaljšala od 4 do 24 %, pri polvezivni stegenski mišici od 18 do 81 %, pri mišici pritegovalki od 0 do 66 %, pri srednji zadnjični mišici pa od 9 do 52 %. Posledično se je rezna trdota pri obešanju za medenično zrast pri dolgi hrbtni mišici zmanjšala od 7 do 21 %, pri polvezivni stegenski mišici od 18 do 29 %, pri mišici pritegovalki od 5 do 17 %, pri srednji zadnjični mišici pa od 17 do 34 %. Prav tako se je sposobnost zadrževanja vode izboljšala pri obešanju za medenično zrast. Skupne izgube vode so se v dolgi hrbtni mišici, polvezivni, pritegovalki in srednji zadnjični mišici zmanjšale za 2,4 %. Skrčenost mišic pa ni vplivala na obseg postmortalne glikolize, zato način obešanja tudi ni vplival na končno vrednost pH v mišicah.In the thesis, we analysed several studies that investigated the influence of the suspension method of carcass halves, pelvic and Achilles tendon suspension, on meat sensory characteristics, shear force, sarcomere length and water-holding capacity, and pH. When carcass halves are suspended from the pelvic bones, the position of the hind leg and spine changes, resulting in more stretching or less shortening of most hind leg muscles and the longissimus dorsi muscle during rigor. In the studies reviewed, we found that the sarcomere length in the longissimus dorsi muscle increased by 4 to 24%, in the semimembranosus muscle by 18 to 81%, in the adductor muscle by 0 to 66%, and in the gluteus medius muscle by 9 to 52%. Consequently, after pelvic suspension shear force decreased by 7 to 21% in longissimus dorsi muscle, by 18 to 29% in semimembranosus muscle, by 5 to 17% in adductor muscle, and by 17 to 34% in gluteus medius muscle. Water-holding capacity also increased with pelvic suspension. Total water loss decreased by 2.4% in the longissimus dorsi, semimembranosus, adductor, and gluteus medius muscles. However, muscle contraction had no effect on the extent of postmortem glycolysis, so the suspension method also had no effect on the final pH in the muscles