A chemical and histological study of 50 of the principal beef muscles and 12 of the principal chicken muscles has demonstrated that variability exists between muscles within the same species and in different species. Variations in pH, protein, fat, and moisture content were present but did not correlate with tenderness values of the muscle. Variations in the size and arrangement of fasciculi and the connective tissue were apparent when the muscles were cut transversely. Fascicular patterns were constant for a given muscle within a species, but were different from different muscles of the same species and different for homologous muscles of different species. Both elastic fibers and collagenous fibers varied from muscle to muscle with respect to their size and quantity. There was a general correlation between the fasciculi-connective tissue patterns and the tenderness measurements of the muscles, tenderness being associated with muscles having indistinct fasciculi.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Strandine et al. (1949) studied this question.