An assessment of the role of pH differences in determining the relative tenderness of meat from bulls and steers

Samples of M. longissimus dorsi from 16-20 month Friesian bulls or steers (80/group) were assessed for a range of meat quality characteristics after being held at ambient temperature for 24h (to avoid cold-shortening) and then at 0-2°C for 6 days. Mean ultimate pH was significantly higher for samples from the bulls (6·35 versus 5·89), and as a consequence, reflectance values were lower, sarcomere lengths were shorter, and expressed juice and cooking losses were lower. Mean Warner-Bratzler shear values did not differ between the groups, apparently because the bull values were mainly above the peak of the pH/shear force curve, while the steer values were mainly below it. There was no evidence that the relationship between shear force and pH differed for samples from the bulls and steers. Results suggested that the increased shear force with increased pH up to 6·2 was at least partly due to a decreased sarcomere length. It is suggested that some of the differences in tenderness between beef from bulls and steers, that have been reported elsewhere, may have been largely due to differences in ultimate pH values.