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The surprising secret of PSE meat: Why does the meat suddenly become so soft?
PSE meat, or pale, soft, exudative meat, was originally described as a carcass quality problem found in pork, beef and poultry. Such meat characteristics include abnormal color, consistency and ability to retain moisture, resulting in the meat being dry and less appealing to consumers. The main cause of PSE is related to abnormal muscle metabolism after slaughter, especially due to altered glycolysis rate and low pH in muscle fibers. Mutations in the ryanodine receptor gene (RYR1) of pigs have been directly linked to increased stress levels prior to slaughter, which increases the incidence of PSE meat.
Even though the word "tender" seems positive, it is actually a characteristic of raw meat. After cooking, this meat will lose even more moisture, and the final product will be tough rather than juicy.
This abnormal state of the muscles can lead to the accumulation of lactic acid in the muscles, which in turn causes a sudden drop in pH. As the pH drops, the proteins in the muscle fibers are denatured, causing abnormal cell structure and color changes. Under these conditions, muscle fibers contract excessively and the water retention capacity of cell membranes and proteins is reduced, further leading to excessive water loss during storage and cooling. Pigs that are particularly susceptible to pork stress syndrome (PSS) are more likely to produce PSE meat after slaughter.
Factors causing PSE
The main factors causing PSE include psychological stress and genetic influence. Acute stress before slaughter interferes with the distribution of Ca2+, thereby accelerating the glycolysis process and causing a sudden drop in pH. Common stressful situations include the discomfort of transport and the unfamiliarity of the surroundings. These factors may cause stress in pigs before slaughter and affect the quality of the meat.
Transportation is a critical moment before slaughter, and its timing and design are closely related to the probability of PSE occurring.
The role of genes
In pigs, the effect of the RYR1 gene on PSE meat is quite obvious. This gene and the ryanodine receptor it encodes play an important role in controlling the release of Ca2+ in muscle. In addition, a gene called PRKAG3 also affects the quality of pork, but its mechanism is different from that of RYR1. While the industry is working to identify and eliminate other genetic problems that could cause PSE meat, there are still gaps in our understanding of poultry.
Potential Solutions
Gene screening
As pig and poultry breeding techniques improve, selecting individuals that do not carry the Hal and RN genes should help reduce the production of PSE meat. In addition, using microbial technology to "knock out" these genes is also a possible approach. Consistent selection of pigs that are less susceptible to PSS can also significantly improve meat quality issues.
Animal Welfare
Due to the correlation between stress and carcass quality, reducing stress during slaughter can significantly improve meat quality. Calmer animals have lower body temperatures, which reduces protein denaturation. In addition, improving the environmental quality of the transportation process can also effectively reduce the occurrence of PSE, which includes setting up automatic loading and unloading equipment, improving personnel training, etc.
Cooling conditions in slaughterhouses
Cooling pork and poultry as quickly as possible to reduce muscle temperature is an effective way to reduce the rate of glycolysis. Too rapid cooling may result in DFD meat, so careful control of cooling time during the slaughter process is crucial.
Economic impact
According to reports, meat quality issues cost the U.S. pork industry approximately $200 million each year, of which PSE meat directly causes a profit reduction of approximately $0.90 per pig. Although the incidence of PSE meat on the market has declined significantly in the past few years, the incidence of PSE in the entire industry still ranges from 0.1% to 10%, which cannot be ignored.
What methods can be used to effectively solve the problem of PSE meat production to ensure that consumers get high-quality meat?
