Effect of refrigeration on texture of meat Whilst a number of characteristics affect the overall quality and acceptability of both fresh and frozen meats, tenderness is the major characteristic of eating quality because it determines the ease with which meat can be chewed and swallowed. The tenderness of meat is affected by both chilling/freezing and storage. Under the proper conditions, tenderness is well maintained throughout the chilled/frozen storage life, but improper chilling/freezing can produce severe toughening and meat of poor eating quality Some of the factors that influence the toughness of meat are inherent in the live animal. It is now well established that it is the properties of the con- nective tissue proteins, and not the total amount of collagen in meat, that largely determine whether meat is tough or tender( Church and Wood 1992). As the animal grows older the number of immature reducible cross- inks decreases. The mature cross-links result in a toughening of the colla gen and this in turn can produce tough meat. Increasing connective tissue toughness is probably not commercially signi ntil a beast is about four-years-old(Husband and Johnson, 1985) Although there is common belief that in beef, breed has a major effect CSIRO (1992) state although there are small differences in tenderness due to breed, they are slight and currently of no commercial significance to Australian consumers However. there are substantial differences in the proportion of acceptable tender meat and toughness between Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle. The proportion of acceptable tender meat decreased from 100% in Hereford Angus crosses to 96% in Tarentaise, 93%in Pinzgauer, 86% in Brahman and only 80% in Tsahiwal(Koch et al., 1982) Toughness of meat increases as the proportion of Bos indicus increases Crouse et al., 1989)3 Effect of refrigeration on texture of meat Whilst a number of characteristics affect the overall quality and acceptability of both fresh and frozen meats, tenderness is the major characteristic of eating quality because it determines the ease with which meat can be chewed and swallowed. The tenderness of meat is affected by both chilling/freezing and storage. Under the proper conditions, tenderness is well maintained throughout the chilled/frozen storage life, but improper chilling/freezing can produce severe toughening and meat of poor eating quality. Some of the factors that influence the toughness of meat are inherent in the live animal. It is now well established that it is the properties of the con￾nective tissue proteins, and not the total amount of collagen in meat, that largely determine whether meat is tough or tender (Church and Wood, 1992). As the animal grows older the number of immature reducible cross￾links decreases. The mature cross-links result in a toughening of the colla￾gen and this in turn can produce tough meat. Increasing connective tissue toughness is probably not commercially significant until a beast is about four-years-old (Husband and Johnson, 1985). Although there is common belief that in beef, breed has a major effect, CSIRO (1992) state ‘although there are small differences in tenderness due to breed, they are slight and currently of no commercial significance to Australian consumers.’ However, there are substantial differences in the proportion of acceptable tender meat and toughness between Bos indicus and Bos taurus cattle. The proportion of acceptable tender meat decreased from 100% in Hereford Angus crosses to 96% in Tarentaise, 93% in Pinzgauer, 86% in Brahman and only 80% in Tsahiwal (Koch et al., 1982). Toughness of meat increases as the proportion of Bos indicus increases (Crouse et al., 1989)