The effect of time of maturation and CaCl2 on quality of young beef

Investigations were carried out on four muscles (M. longissimus dorsi, M. semimembranosus, M. semitendinosus, M. biceps femoris) taken from five young cattle (crosses Domestic Spotted x Limousine) of average body mass prior to slaughtering of 587 kg. On all muscles, 24 h after slaughtering, sensory evaluation was carried out and the following parameters determined: pH value, colour, water binding ability, cooking loss and tenderness (initial values). The remaining part of each muscle was divided into 6 parts, 3 were packaged in plastic foil (control samples), and other 3 were soaked in solution containing 0,4% CaCl2 and 0,4% NaCl and packaged in plastic foil. Pieces of meat prepared in this way were left on temperature of + 40C 7, 14 and 21 days to mature. After this period, all mentioned analyses were carried out on meat samples. It was established that pH value during maturation increased, that meat packaged in plastic foil after 14 days of maturation becomes unusable, whereas the increase of pH values of meat whose maturation occurred in solution CaCl2 and NaCl was slower and therefore meat was still usable after 21 days. Color of meat in control samples was slightly lighter compared to initial condition, whereas the color of meat whose maturation occurred in solutions of salt was statistically considerably lighter (P<0,05 after 7 days, a P<0,001 after 14 and 21 days). Water binding ability in control samples was slightly better (P>0,05) after 7 days and after 14 days it was statistically significantly better (P<0,05) compared to initial state, whereas in meat whose maturation occurred in salt solution this ability was at initial level even after 21 days. Cooking loss in control samples was lower compared to initial values whereas in meat soaked in salt solution cooking loss was higher. Meat tenderness in control samples was statistically considerably better after 14 days of maturation (when meat was not fit for use) and in meat soaked in salt solution it was statistically highly significantly better after 14 and 21 days. According to sensory evaluation, control samples of meat, after 14 days of maturation are not fit for use, whereas meat whose maturation occurred in solution of CaCl2 and NaCl even after 21 days is acceptable from the sensory aspect.