The effect of cooking temperature on mechanical properties of whole meat, single muscle fibres and perimysial connective tissue

The structural changes in beef semitendinosus caused by cooking were studie d by performing tensile tests of the isolated meat components (i.e. single muscle fibres and perimysial connective tissue) and related to the toughnes s of the whole meat. Whole meat toughness was found to increase in two sepa rate phases upon cooking from 40-50 degrees C, and again from 60 to 80 degr ees C with a decrease in meat toughness between 50 and 60 degrees C, in agr eement with previous studies. The changes in whole meat toughness at temper atures below 60 degrees C were found to correspond to changes in the mechan ical properties of the perimysial connective tissue, whereas changes of who le meat toughness at temperatures above 60 degrees C were found to correspo nd to increased breaking strength of single muscle fibres. The myofibrillar component explained approximately 47% of the variation in whole meat tough ness upon cooking whereas inclusion of the connective tissue component incr eased the goodness of fit. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserv ed.