Glycolysis and associated changes in beef carcasses

Abstract Post‐mortem glycolysis was investigated at several locations in intact sides of beef. The time required for the pH to fall to 6.0 in six major hindquarter muscles ranged from 2.2 to 13.6 h, varying with muscle and depth in the carcass. A good correlation ( r =0.97) was observed between the rate of ATP turnover and muscle temperature. In the muscles in the round the rate of glycolysis increased with depth, as did the extent of denaturation of myofibrils, creatine phosphokinase and also drip loss.