COMPARISONS OF MEAT QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS AND INTRAMUSCULAR CONNECTIVE TISSUE BETWEEN BEEF LONGISSIMUS DORSI AND SEMITENDINOSUS MUSCLES FROM CHINESE YELLOW BULLS

ABSTRACT This study was designed to compare meat quality characteristics and the traits of intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) of beef longissimus dorsi (LD) and semitendinosus (ST) muscles at 4 and 21 days postmortem. LD had higher (P < 0.05) moisture content and Warner‐Bratzler shear force (WBSF) but lower (P < 0.05) collagen content and filtering residue than ST at 4 days. Aging could more efficiently improve LD tenderness by decreasing the perimysial maximum transition temperature, increasing the collagen solubility and destroying the muscle structure. Both the natures of IMCT (insoluble collagen, perimysial thickness) and the status of muscle fiber were contributors to the tenderness of different muscles from the same carcass.