Temperature and pH of Biceps femoris, Longissimus and Triceps brachii muscles from ‘Morada Nova' lambs during the rigor mortis and the effects of ageing and calcium chloride injection in qualitative characteristics of these muscles were studied. The lambs were slaughtered with 25kg live weight. The decline of pH and temperature of muscles were monitored during the onset of rigor mortis in times 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 24 hours after slaughter, with the carcasses refrigerated at 4°C. The muscles were removed and submitted to respective treatments with determination of cooking loss and tenderness. The decline of pH from Biceps femoris and Longissimus was tipical normal processs, while Triceps brachii presented pH at 10, 12 and 24 hours considered higher. The decline of temperature was tipical from normal process. The ageing and calcium chloride injection did not affect cooking loss. The ageing in Biceps femoris and Longissimus improved the tenderness while the 0.3M calcium chloride injection only improved tenderness in Longissimus.
lambs; calcium chloride; ageing; pH; temperature
