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Electrical stimulation of rabbit and lamb carcasses
Author(s) -
Bendall James R.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740270905
Subject(s) - stimulation , electric stimulation , zoology , toughening , contracture , hindlimb , chemistry , anatomy , biology , medicine , surgery , materials science , metallurgy , toughness
Electrical stimulation of rabbit and lamb carcasses at voltages of 250 V, pulsed at 15 Hz, resulted in a rapid immediate fall of pH and a sustained rate of fall 2–3 times greater than normal. The ATP level falls in step with the pH; at about pH 6.2, 50% of it has disappeared and at pH 5.7, more than 90%. In lamb carcasses rigor onset in the major muscles of fore‐, hind‐limbs and back occurs 4–5 h earlier than the normal 5–7 h and rigor is complete at least 4 h earlier. As a result, it is safe to cool or freeze stimulated lamb carcasses within 3 h of slaughter, compared with the need to delay at least 10 h with normal carcasses to ensure that cold‐ or thaw‐contracture will not occur with subsequent toughening of the meat.