Effects Of Different Chilling Treatment On Meat Quality And Myofibrillar Ultrastructure Of Rabbit

In the1980s, China began the research and production of chilled meat, especially chilled pork, chilled beef. Although the rapid development of domestic cooling, but research data about effect of different chilling methods on rabbit meat quality was reported rarely. This study aimed to:(1) effect of different chilling treatment on meat quality of rabbit longissimus dorsi muscle;(2) effect of different chilling treatment on longissimus dorsi muscle ultrastructure and degradation of proteins;(3) effect of different chilling treatment on meat eating quality and texture characteristics of the rabbit sausage.1Effect of different chilling treatment on meat quality of rabbit longissimus dorsi muscleThe objective of this study was to investigate the effect of rapid chilling on eating quality of rabbit. Twenty-four rabbits were selected to study the effect of rapid and conventional chilling on eating quality of rabbit. The results showed that rapid chilling increased the rate of the carcass temperature decline, decreased the rate of pH value drop; improved the colour of rabbit, and increased water-holding capacity. Rapid chilling could increase the whole protein and sarcoplasmic protein solubility (p<0.05),and retarded lipid oxidation(p<0.05),without significant effect on the shear stress of rabbit.2Effect of different chilling treatment on longissimus dorsi muscle ultrastructure and degradation of proteinsThe objective of this study was to investigate the effect of rapid chilling on eating quality of rabbit. Twenty-four rabbits were selected to study the effect of rapid and conventional chilling on muscle ultrastructure and degradation of proteins. The results showed that:within one day of aging, two treatment group differences were significant about ultrastructural changes with shorter sarcomere of the rapid cooling group, and sarcomere length was significantly shorter than conventional cooling group(p＜0.05). Two treatment groups of sarcoplasmic protein, myofibrillar protein degradation and the activity of calpain which influenced the degradation of myofibrillar proteins had no difference(p＞0.05). 3Effect of different chilling treatment on meat eating quality and texture characteristics of the rabbit sausageTo explore the eating quality of rabbit sausage and texture characteristics, there were two different cooling treatment group and a group of rapid frozen treatment. The results showed that:with rapid frozen treatment group, the pH、L*、a*、b*values of rabbit sausage were significantly higher than the other two groups(p＜0.05), and L*value of rapid chilling treatment group was higher than the conventional treatment group (p＜0.05), b*value was lower than the conventional treatment group (p＜0.05). Rapid chilling treatments could improve the production of rabbit sausage and water retention. Rapid chilling treatment group of rabbit sausage was significantly lower than the hardness of the conventional treatment group (p＜0.05), while hardness, elasticity, cohesiveness, resilience of rapid frozen treatment group were significantly lower than the other two groups(p<0.05). Rapid processing could improve the ultrastructure of rabbit sausage.