The effect of temperature and ultimate pH on the increase in meat toughness resulting from restraint during cooking

Samples of stretched muscle cooked at 50, 60, 70 or 80°C, while restrained at either their original pre-cooking length or further tensioned at about 130% of their original pre-cooking length, had significantly (P < 0·001) greater Warner-Bratzler (WB) peak shear force values for all temperatures than similar samples cooked without restraint except for those restrained at their original length and cooked at 50°C. Restraint during cooking at 80°C increased the peak shear force values of stretched sheep muscles with ultimate pH values in the range 5·5-7·0. This increase, which has been related to connective tissue strength, was not significantly related to ultimate pH. Both initial yield and peak force values, for samples cooked either restrained or unrestrained, decreased significantly (P < 0·001) and at similar (not significantly different) rates with increase in ultimate pH.