Effect of postmortem injection time and postinjection aging time on the calcium-activated tenderization process in beef.

The objectives of this study were to determine 1) the effectiveness of calcium chloride when injected later than 2 d postmortem, 2) the effect of extended postinjection aging time, and 3) the tenderness response curve in calcium chloride-treated beef. In Exp. 1, the longissimus thoracis et lumborum was injected on either d 2 or 14 postmortem with 5% by weight of a 200 mM calcium chloride solution. Samples were aged (1 degree C) either 7 or 35 d after injection. The uninjected control longissimus from the contralateral side was aged for 9, 21, 37, or 49 d. In Exp. 2, the longissimus thoracis et lumborum was injected on d 2 postmortem with 5% by weight of a 200 m x M calcium chloride solution then sampled for shear force on d 1, 2, 6, 8, 12, and 14 after injection. Calcium chloride injection, regardless of injection time or postinjection aging time, had higher (P < .05) sensory tenderness rating than control with the same total aging time (5.2, 5.5, 5.8, and 6.1 vs 4.3, 4.8, 5.1, and 5.3, respectively). Calcium chloride injection at d 14 reduced shear force (.7 kg) and increased tenderness rating (.7 units) as effectively (P > .05) as injection at d 2 (1.2 kg and .8 units, respectively). Calcium chloride-injected steaks had higher (P < .05) juiciness ratings than control steaks. Postrigor calcium chloride injection reduced (P < .05) shear force within 1 d after injection and resulted in more tender meat through 14 d after injection. Extended postinjection aging (35 d) had little effect on color display stability. Calcium activated tenderization can be applied as late as 14 d postmortem and will reduce the occurrence of tough meat if aging is limited.