Protein denaturation and water‐holding capacity in pork muscle

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Abstract
Summary. The water‐holding capacity of the myofibrils from longissimus dorsi muscles of Large White pigs, selected on the basis of their rate of fall in pH post‐mortem, has been compared with the ultimate pH, the protein extractability in M potassium chloride and the adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activities. It was found that any loss in water‐holding capacity of the myofibrils could be attributed, mainly, to the extent of denaturation, occurring in the myofibrillar protein, as a result of a rapid fall in pH postmortem. It was also found that the ultimate pH had a small, but significant, influence on the water holding capacity.