Knowledge, Innovation, Excellence

LILONGWE UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES

(NRC CAMPUS)

TO : MRS RUTH KAMOTO

FROM : GROUP 5

NAME PASSCODE
MARTHA CHILAMBA 190300710
MACK M. CHISALE 190300738
BEATRICE JERE 190300711
BETRICE ZULU 190300712
JABULANI MKANDAWIRE 190300736

COURSE NAME : MEAT SCIENCE

 CHEMICAL CHANGES DURING CONVERSION OF MUSCLE TO MEAT
Introduction

After the death of an animal, various regulatory processes which prevent living meat from
decomposing cease to function. The most significant of these occurs as circulation failure
which causes the oxidation of muscle glycogen to cease and glycolysis to proceed. The
oxygen supply becomes depleted and the aerobic pathway of metabolic process stops
functioning. Energy metabolism is then shifted to the anaerobic pathway and less energy in
the form of ATP is produced through the anaerobic pathway. The glycogen present in the
muscle is no longer converted into carbon dioxide and water instead it is converted into lactic
acid through anaerobic glycolysis. A number of chemical changes occur over a period of
time, and these include PH changes, conversion of Glycogen to Lactic acid, Protein Changes.

Aerobic respiration is the process that proceeds before oxygen is completely depleted.

1. AEROBIC RESPIRATION

This is the process where glucose (or substrate) is catabolised to carbon dioxide, water and
energy in the presence of oxygen. i.e

Glucose + Oxygen ---------------Carbon Dioxide + Water + Energy

(C6H12O6) (O2) (CO2) (H2O) (ATP)

This involves four stages namely glycolysis, oxidation of pyruvate, Krebs circle, and

Electron transport chain.

I. GLYCOLYSIS

This simply means sugar splitting. It involves enzymes mediated reactions by which glucose
is split into two molecules of pyruvate therefore energy is generated in form of 2 net
molecules of ATP. It takes place in cytoplasm of the cell and does not require oxygen.
 II. OXIDATION OF PYRUVIC ACID

It uses the product of glycolysis. The pyruvic acid undergoes oxidative decarboxylation in
the presence of an enzyme pyruvic dehydrogenase. The two molecules get reduced to
acetyl CoA. CO2 is released as a by-product.

III. KREBS CYCLE

This occurs in the mitochondrial matrix. This is the sequence of reactions by which most
living cells generates energy during the process of aerobic respiration. Involves breaking
down of pyruvic acid using oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water as waste
products, ADP is converted to energy rich molecules ATP.

IV. ELECTRON TRANSPORT CHAIN

Involves the transfer of electrons and protons from NADH2 and FADH2 in the
mitochondria. Molecular oxygen is the terminal acceptor of electrons and protons
resulting in formation of water molecule. The energy loss during the transfer of electrons
is coupled to the production of ATP. This is called oxidative phosphorylation. Three
ATP molecules are formed when NADH2 donates electrons to the electron transport
chain and two ATP molecules are formed is FADH2 is the electron.

2. ANAEROBIC RESPIRATION

This is the process whereby glucose and other metabolites are broken to release energy
without the use of oxygen as the final electron acceptor.it has three stages namely:
glycolysis, Krebs cycle and the electron transport chain as in aerobic respiration.

The only difference is the anaerobic respiration uses a different electron acceptor which is
usually an inorganic compound. There are different electron acceptors used e.g. nitrates,
nitrite, sulphates and carbon dioxide. These electron acceptors are not as strong as
oxygen. The final product of anaerobic respiration is lactic acid.

3. ACIDITY

Consequently, as the circulatory system has shuttered and no longer available to the
harvested animal lactic acid produced by anaerobic respiration, the lactic acid tends to be
retained in the muscle instead of going to liver for metabolism of carbon dioxide and
water.

Due to this abnormal retention, the lactic acid concentration in the muscle increases and it
will continue to accumulate until nearly all the original glycogen stored in the muscle is
depleted or until conditions are reached (Low pH). Subsequently, the pH in the muscle
falls from 7.0 to 5.5 and at the same time, the last reserves of ATP molecules are
depleted. This depletion of ATP molecules results to actomyosin complex remaining
intact as no energy is available to break the complex.

The drop in pH is a desirable feature as a low pH slows down the growth of

microorganisms and enhances flavor, juiciness and color of meat to give an attractive
product. pH has a huge impact on meat colour, at low pH the meat is characterized as a
pale colour. while high meat pH often causes a dark meat colour.
In relation to acceptability, both pale and dark colours are unattractive colours to
consumers. e.g. beef, in addition, beef with pale colour and low pH often has a metallic
and off- flavor taste. Therefore, more lactic acid produced results to high acid
concentration and various effects also arise.

EFFECTS OF LACTIC ACID ON THE MEAT

 It acidifies the environment in a process that continues until inactivation of

glycolytic enzymes in low pH or depletion of majority of available glycogen.

 It lowers the intercellular pH of the muscles from pH 7 to 5.5.

 It helps proteolytic enzymes to reach their optimum, they work best in acidic
environment. The acid stimulates calpains (is a protein belonging to the family of
calcium dependent non-lysosomal cysteine protease) and enzymes. The activity of
these enzymes in turn results in transformation of proteins, having an impact on
the qualitative traits of meat.

THE FATE OF LACTIC ACID ON STARVATION

Long term stress before slaughter or starvation uses up the glycogen so less lactic acid is
formed resulting in an abnormal muscle contraction in which it remains dark purplish red
on exposure to air instead of a bright red colour. This is termed dark firm and dry DFD in
the case of pigs and dark cutting in beef. The meat easily get /quickly spoils because it
has low acidity which favors rapid growth of bacteria.
4. PROTEIN CHANGES

When energy reserves are depleted, the myofibrillar proteins, actin and myosin lose their
expendability and the muscle becomes stiff. This condition is commonly referred to rigor
mortis. The time required for an animal to enter rigor mortis is highly dependent on the
species e.g. cattle and sheep take longer than hogs, the chilling rate of carcass from normal
body temperature (the process is slower at lower temperatures) and the amount of stress
the animal experiences before slaughter. Eventually the stiffness in the muscle tissues
begins to decrease owing to the enzymatic breakdown of structure proteins (i.e. collagen)
that holds muscle fibre together. This phenomenon is known as resolution of rigor and can
continue for weeks after slaughter in a process referred to as aging of meat. This aging
effect produces meat that are more tender and palatable.

5. HIGH ENERGY PHOSPHATE AND ITS INTERMEDIATE COMPOUNDS

After an animal is harvested, muscle glycogen along with high-energy phosphate

compounds are anaerobically mobilised in an effort to maintain adenosine triphosphate, a
process of energy homeostasis. The energy for the synthesis of ATP comes from the
breakdown of foods and phosphor-creatine (PC). When the muscle starts to contract and
needs energy, creatine phosphate transfers its phosphate back to ADP. After this process
of phosphorylation, the ADP molecules are increased to form ATP and creatine. This
process of generating ATP molecules is catalysed by the enzyme creatine kinase and
occurs very quickly.
IN RELATION TO MEAT MUSCLE CONVERSION

As a consequence of post Morten glycolysis, lactate and H+ accumulates in the muscle

and cause the drop in PH. The muscle subsequently undergoes proteolytic disruption of
structure proteins leading to an improvement of meat tenderness and flavour. Some of
the factors such as Genetics, Nutrition and Environmental conditions and pre- and post-
mortem handling can influence the conversion of muscle to meat.

CONCLUSION

In the process of converting muscle to Meat, Muscle glycogen content is a critical

determinant of the ultimate PH as it impacts the production lactic acid. Pre-slaughter
stress has been shown to deplete muscle glycogen reserves leading to reduced lactic acid
production. Therefore, less acidic or basic PH, which will lead to toughness of the meat.
REFERENCES
Romans J.R, Costello W.J, Carlson C.W, Greaser M.J and Jones K.W. 2001. The Meat we
eat. Interstate publisher Inc.

Samantha Fowler, Rabacca Roush,James Wise. 2018. Concepts of Biology.

Stephanie Clark, , Stephanie jung. 2004. Encyclopedia of meat sciences. Second Edition.
Wiley Blackwell.

V.V Kulkarni, P.S Girish,S.B Barbuddhe. 2021. Analytical Techniques in Meat Science.