Manipulation of meat quality, particularly tenderness, by the processor.

Meat tenderness, an attribute highly sought after by the consumer, is directly affected by the treatment of the animal (or its carcass) immediately before, during and after slaughter. This is a consequence of effects on the course of post-mortem glycolysis and on the contraction of muscle. Increase in toughness of muscle as a result of contraction reduces the effectiveness of the traditional aging process for tenderizing meat. The development of enzymes specific in their action on various structural components of meat may further increase the control of meat tenderness by the processor. I.