Effect of post-mortem calcium chloride injection on tenderization of sheepmeat

Different concentrations of calcium chloride (100 mM, 200 mM and 300 mM) we re infected to hindleg cuts of sheep within 3-4 h of slaughter at 10 % (w/w ). Samples were cooked after keeping for 24 h at 4+/-1 degrees C. There wer e significant (P<0.05) decreases in pH, increase in moisture content and wa ter holding capacity (WHC) of raw meat after 24 h of treatment. However, no significant effect of the treatment was found in case of total plate count s, psychrophillic counts, collagen and ash contents. Analysis of cooked mea t revealed no significant variations in MTHC, moisture, ash, collagen solub ility and cooked out juice, but there were significant (P<0.05) decreases i n pH, cooking loss and shear force values of CaCl2 treated samples. Organol eptically, there were no significant differences in colour, flavour and jui ciness scores. However, tenderness and overall acceptability scores were hi gher for CaCl2, - treated samples. The study indicated that use of CaCl2 ha s great potential to improve tenderness of sheep meat.