Chemical Deterioration of Frozen Bovine Muscle at −4° C

SUMMARY— During an 8-week storage period of bovine muscle at −4°C, the total extractable protein content dropped from 91 to 51%. This decline, accompanied by a decrease in water-binding capacity of muscle, was primarily caused by the insolubilization of both sarcoplasmic proteins and actomyosin. The increase in the free fatty acid content from about 1.6 to 9.1% over the 8-week period may be attributed to phospholipid hydrolysis. The TBA number rose progressively throughout the entire storage period while the peroxide value increased to a maximum in 2 weeks of storage and then decreased to a constant value of 7.