High pressure–combined calcium lactate treatment improves colour stability in yaks due to changes in myoglobin and muscle microstructure

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of high pressure (300 MPa; 15 min) combined with treatment with 0.06 g/ml calcium lactate (5% of meat samples) on the postmortem colour stability of the yak longissimus lumborum. The combined treatment increased the pH value, water holding capacity, a* (redness) and L* (lightness) values while decreasing the b* (yellowness) value and muscle fibre diameter of the longissimus lumborum as storage time progressed (p < 0.05). And the combined treatment decreased the α-helix content and increased the β-fold content and β-turn angle in the myoglobin structure (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the combined treatment induced increases in myoglobin reductase and lactate dehydrogenase reductase activities and NADH concentration (p < 0.05). Collectively, this study explored the important role of high pressure combined with calcium lactate on the microstructure of myoglobin and muscle in the stability of yak meat colour and broadens our knowledge on high pressure-mediated meat colour regulation.