Effect of age on structural properties of intramuscular connective tissue, muscle fibre, collagen content and meat tenderness in pig longissimus lumborum muscle.

Changes in the structure and properties of the intramuscular connective tissue, muscle fibre size, collagen content and meat tenderness of m. longissimus lumborum during growth was studied in 45 Polish Large White (PLW) pigs slaughtered at 90, 150 and 210 days of age. The results show that the endomysial sheath in m. longissimus lumborum consists of collagen fibrils of wavy appearance which run in all directions and form a loose network. The arrangement of collagen fibrils in the endomysium and perimysium becomes denser and more regular with increasing age of pigs. In addition, the increase in endomysium and perimysium thickness was paralleled by a significant increase in muscle fibre diameter, as well as an increase in shear force value with chronological aging. In contrast, the percentage of collagen area in muscle structure and the amount of total collagen and amount of soluble collagen decreased gradually with age of pigs. In conclusion, the structural changes in the arrangement of collagen fibres in the architecture of intramusclular connective tissue, as well as the decrease in soluble collagen content in m. longissimus lumborum during growth of pigs are important factors influencing shear force value, and thus raw meat tenderness.