Electrostimulation of slaughterwarm meat to accelerate its maturing

For citation: Romanchikov S.A. Electrostimulation of slaughterwarm meat to accelerate its maturing. Vestnik Mezhdunarodnoi akademii kholoda. 2018. No 3. p. 67-73

Abstract
Maturing of slaughterwarm meat is an urgent task, especially when organizing slaughtering in the field. Acceleration of the transformation process for anatomical structures and physiological processes in the carcasses of slaughter animals allows reducing the time of its maturation and increasing the resistance to microbiological damage. For the realization of this task a device for accelerating the autolysis of meat raw materials (UDUAMS-M) intended for processing of paired meat for 5 ... 10 min by electric current after slaughter in order to prevent its rapid rigor and accelerate autolysis is proposed. The effect of softening muscle tissue under the influence of electric current is associated with the molecular level of contraction and relaxation of muscle fibers. The process of electrostimulation is examined in close connection with the intravital contractile function of the muscles. Different muscles and fibers have different thresholds of excitability. Under the influence of electric current there is an increase in the level of lactic acid in the muscles of carcasses. Operation of the device is based on the use of physical principles for changing the tone of muscle fibers of slaughterwarm meat (compression - stretching muscles under the influence of electric current) of carcasses in order to prevent "cold" muscle contraction with intensive refrigeration and to attain meat tenderness in a short time. Modernization of the device to accelerate the autolysis of meat raw materials allows performing electrostimulation at any stage of carcass processing for all the limbs, under any weather conditions, which speeds up the process of ripening of meat, meets the requirement of electrical safety, and is important for slaughtering animals in the field.