Variations in water-holding capacity due to changes in the fibre diameter, sarcomere length and connective tissue morphology of some beef muscles under acidic conditions below the ultimate pH.

The water-holding capacities (WHC) of six different beef muscles were measured over the pH range 5·7 to 4·0. Corresponding changes in the morphology of muscle fibres and connective tissue were observed by light microscopy. WHC increased over the pH range 5·1 to 4·0 in all muscles, with the M. longissimus dorsi (LD) having significantly higher (p < 0·05) swelling ratios than the other muscles at pH 4·3 and pH 4·0. In all muscles, swelling increased across and along the muscle fibre axis between pH5·1 and pH4·4. However, towards pH4·0, increased muscle fibre swelling occurred in predominantly 'white' fibre-type muscles, in particular the LD, whereas muscle fibre shrinkage occurred in predominantly 'red' fibre-type muscles. Increased swelling of perimysial collagen and endomysial reticulin was observed in all muscles between pH4·5 and pH4·0, while the appearance of elastin was unaffected by pH. Consequently, interactions between muscle fibre swelling and connective tissue swelling determined the extent of total muscle swelling in different muscles between pH 4·5 and pH 4·0.