Youn Chul Ryu

The relationship between muscle fiber characteristics, postmortem metabolic rate, and meat quality of pig longissimus dorsi muscle

The aim of this study was to investigate the histochemical parameters of muscle fibers, and to estimate the correlation of muscle fiber characteristic to postmortem metabolic rate and meat quality traits in pigs. A total of 231 crossbred pigs were evaluated. Samples of the longissimus dorsi muscle were taken to evaluate the histochemical characteristics, postmortem metabolic rate and meat quality. Fiber type composition was mainly related to postmortem metabolic rate and meat quality traits among various muscle fiber characteristics. The percentage of type IIb fiber was negatively related to pH(45min) (r=-0.33) and positively to R-value (r=0.32). Drip loss was negatively related to fiber area percentages of type I and IIa (r=-0.25 and -0.26, respectively) and positively related to type IIb percentage (r=0.39). A similar tendency was found between lightness and fiber area percentage. In conclusion, increasing the percentage of type IIb fiber is related to increasing the postmortem metabolic rate, and is related to the deterioration of meat quality.

Combination of low voltage electrical stimulation and early postmortem temperature conditioning on degradation of myofibrillar proteins in Korean native cattle (Hanwoo).

The combination effect of low voltage electrical stimulation (LVES) and early postmortem (PM) temperature conditioning (2, 16, and 30°C until 3 h PM) on degradation of myofibrillar proteins were determined from Korean native cattle (Hanwoo). Myofibrils were removed at 1, 2, 3, 7, and 14 days of PM storage (2°C) and analyzed for titin, nebulin, desmin, and troponin-T by SDS-PAGE and by Western blot analysis. Degradation rate of myofibrillar proteins was affected by the combination of LVES and temperature conditioning. LVES-30°C treatment resulted in faster degradation of titin, nebulin, desmin, and troponin-T during PM storage than the other treatments. Degradation of titin took place more slowly than nebulin, desmin or troponin-T.

Influence of Dietary α-Tocopheryl Acetate Supplementation on Cholesterol Oxidation in Retail Packed Chicken Meat during Refrigerated Storage

This study examined the effect of dietary α-tocopheryl acetate on lipid and cholesterol oxidation in retail packed chicken meat during refrigerated storage. Male broiler chicks were randomly assigned to five pens containing 30 chicks each, which was subjected to one of five dietary treatments (0, 50, 100, 200, or 400 IU of α-tocopheryl acetate/kg diet). Five different levels of α-tocopherol were supplied to the chicks from 3 to 6 weeks. After 42 d of feeding all the broilers were slaughtered, and the carcasses were packed in polyethylene bags individually, bags similar to those used in the retail trade, and stored for 12 d at 4 °C. Growth performance and fatty acid composition were not affected by the dietary α-tocopherol levels. The α-tocopherol content in breast and thigh muscles increased as the level of dietary α-tocopherol increased. The supplementation with 200 or 400 IU of α-tocopherol was more effective in reducing the level of lipid oxidation (P<0.05) and total cholesterol oxidation products (P<0.05). Therefore, an increase in the dietary α-tocopherol level from 200 to 400 IU/kg feed causes major improvements in the oxidative stability of chicken meat during refrigerated storage.

Postmortem metabolic rate and calpain system activities on beef longissimus tenderness classifications.

In this study, we adopted a model of tenderness classification in order to determine the factors affecting the tenderness and tenderization characteristics of beef longissimus, using cluster analysis on the basis of Warner-Bratzler shear force and myofibril fragmentation index, at 1, 7, and 14 d. The rate of tenderization was effectively differentiated by pH, R-values, μ-calpain activity, and calpastatin activity. Differences among tenderness classes were generally detected at 3 and 9 h postmortem for metabolic rate, and at 9 and 24 h for the activities of μ-calpain and calpastatin. Early postmortem metabolic rate and calpain system activities were verified as important factors with regard to longissimus tenderization.

Effects of morphological characteristics of muscle fibers on porcine growth performance and pork quality

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of morphological characteristics of porcine muscle fibers on growth performance, muscle fiber characteristics, and pork quality taken from the longissimus dorsi muscle. A total of 239 crossbred pigs (164 castrated males and 75 females) were used in this study. Experimental pigs were categorized by the total number of muscle fiber (TNF: High and Low) and cross sectional area of muscle fiber (CSAF: Large, Middle, and Small). Their combinations were classified into six groups (High-Large, HL; High-Middle, HM; High-Small, HS; Low-Large, LL; Low-Middle, LM; Low-Small, LS). The TNF and CSAF were significantly (p<0.05) correlated with growth rate and carcass productivity, while the only of the type I number had no meaningful relationships excluding the correlation with loin area (p<0.001). The proportion of type I area was positively correlated with pH45 min while the proportion of type IIB area was negatively correlated with pH45 min and pH24 h (p<0.05). Drip loss and protein denaturation had strong relationships with the proportion of type IIB number or area. The HL group exhibited the greatest growth performance. In addition, the HL group had significantly greater values in protein solubility than the other groups. In conclusion, this study suggest that high TNF combined to large CSAF improve the ultimate lean meat productivity and assure normal meat quality simultaneously with increased both proportion of number and area of type I, type IIA muscle fibers and lowered proportion of number and area of type IIB.