Changes of myofibril protein functional properties during rabbit postmortem aging

Rabbit longissimus dorsi muscle and leg meat were used as the raw material to investigate the changing trends of pH and variation regulation of myofibril protein( MP) functional properties during rabbit postmortem aging. The results showed that:during rabbit postmortem aging,the pH of rabbit longissimus dorsi muscle and leg meat significantly decreased and respectively reached the limits pH at 24 h and 48 h during rabbit postmortem aging,muscles into full stiff state,at this time the rabbit meat processing quality was poor.The variation regulation on solubility, emulsification, gel water- holding capacity of rabbit longissimus dorsi muscle and leg meat MP was consistent with pH trends,respectively reached a minimum value in post-mortem24 h and 48 h. But surface hydrophobicity and gel hardness were increased first and then decreased,and in post-mortem 24 h and 48 h reached a maximum value respectively. By analyzing the variation regulation of the functional properties of rabbit MP,and combining the changes of physical and chemical properties during rabbit postmortem aging,determined a reasonable mature time after postmortem was 72 h.