What are post mortem changes?

Postmortem changes include a variety of bodily changes that occur following death (McLemore and Zumwalt, 2003). Such changes can be important in estimating or confirming a time-of-death, providing a clue as to the cause or circumstances of death, or suggesting that a body may have been moved following death.

What are the factors that affect post mortem changes and meat quality?

The ante-mortem factors such as genotype, gender, breeding conditions, nutrition, transport conditions, stress, weather conditions and the methods of slaughter are considered of primary importance for the quality of pork. It is estimated that 40\% of meat defects are due to the procedure at the lairage.

What are the physiological changes in meat?

Meat undergoes certain superficial changes as a result of storage, chief of which are shrinkage, sweating and loss of bloom.

What are the 4 post-mortem stages of death?

There are 4 stages: Pallor Mortis, Algor Mortis, Rigor Mortis and Livor Mortis. Death is one of the most fundamental facts of life. After we die, there are 4 stages of changes that occur in the body. They are used, primarily, to determine the time of death or post mortem index (PMI) in forensic pathology.

What are the 3 types of mortis?

This period runs from 3 to 72 hours after death. The early post-mortem phase is most frequently estimated using the classical triad of post-mortem changes – rigor mortis, livor mortis, and algor mortis.

What is the most important quality factor in meat which changes with age?

Water retention and lipid content determine juiciness. Marbling and fat around edges helps hold in water. Water losses are from evaporation and drip losses. Meat aging can increase water retention and therefore increases juiciness.

What are the improvement of product quality in meat and meat products?

The addition of dietary fibers to meat products can also enhance some technological properties, such as improving emulsion stability; increasing water-holding capacity of minced meats; decreasing losses on cooking; improving texture and rheological properties of meat products; and increasing the efficiency of the …

What are pre slaughter changes in meat?

During the pre-slaughter period, stress and physical activity contribute to exhaust muscular glycogen, and as a result of this pH increases and beef changes its appearance so it may be classified as DFD (dark, firm and dry) also known as a dark cut.

What is a postmortem and why is it important?

Postmortem changes that occur during the process of converting muscle to meat play a critical role in the development of quality traits and the overall acceptance of the fresh product.

How does the meat change after slaughter?

Immediately after slaughter, changes occur in the muscle of an animal. These changes, like the changes in milk and eggs, can be retarded by method of handling and storage. They are brought about by enzymes and microorganisms, and by chemical and physical means which alter the structure and chemical composition of the meat.

How do postmortem changes affect foreign substances?

Postmortem changes affect the micro- and macroenvironment of the foreign substances and refer to all processes by which their movement between body fluids and tissues takes place. J.M. Elifritz, C. Gerrard, in Pathobiology of Human Disease, 2014 Postmortem changes begin at death and progress over time.

What is the pathophysiology of postmortem metabolism?

Ultimately postmortem metabolism is arrested due to substrate depletion or the inactivation of the glycolytic enzyme phosphofructokinase-1, resulting in ATP depletion and the development of rigor mortis. The muscle subsequently undergoes proteolytic disruption of structural proteins, leading to an improvement of meat tenderness and flavor.