Myofibrillar protein characteristics of fast or slow frozen pork during subsequent storage at ?3 °C

This study aimed to investigate the effect of storage at ?3 °C on myofibrillar protein in fast or slow frozen pork. Five pork loins 48 h post-mortem were subjected either (cold metal plate/?80 °C) freezing (still air/?20 followed by for 0, 1, 3, and 7 days before thawing. Freezing rate significantly influenced proteins within 3 °C, evidenced higher thaw loss, surface hydrophobicity reduced water-holding myofibrils, accelerated appearance a myosin-4 fragment (160 kDa) freezing. However, these observed differences disappeared after °C. The meat pH thawing did not differ between rate. values both groups decreased with extended Our results suggest that beneficial effects are gradually lost holding due more extensive denaturation.