In: Biology
Discuss the pH changes in skeletal muscle, and effects on conversion muscle to meat.
the major ph change in skeletal muscle is due to the accumulation of lactic acid which is produced during anaerobic respiration . physical works and exercise result in lactic acid accumilation.
in live muscle cells the stored energy in the form of glycogen converts into glucose , then pyruvate which is further used to generate energy , but when the muscle is slaughtered it is called meat here due to abscence of oxeygen anaerobic respiration takes place and the glycogen is converted into lactic acid. which results in the decrease of pH.so muscles have neutral ph and the meat are acidic (pH=5)in nature ,
the fall in ph further affects the water holding capacity of the meat.