ANSC 2340 Study Guide - Final Guide: Red Meat, Scattering, Longissimus
Document Summary
**similar structure to hemoglobin but hgb = 4x size of myoglobin. = hemoglobin (blood pigment) = found in rbcs for o2 and co2 transport. *pale muscles = higher [] of pigment from hemoglobin from residual blood. = myoglobin (muscle pigment) = found in sarcoplasm for o2 storage in muscle fibers. Overall [] of pigments influence how red meat is. Higher myoglobin levels in fibers = strong aerobic metabolism = red fibers. Note: myoglobin looses its affinity for o2 as age increases. *how much hgb in meat determined by blood loss at slaughter = don"t want a lot of blood. Oxidation state of heme ring has major influence on meat colour = iron states. Makes up 80-90% of total pigment depending on amount of red fibers in a given muscle. Catalases and cytochrome oxidase = both enzymes have heme structures but little colour effect. So older animals need higher [] to keep up o2 stores in muscles.