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.