Applications of high pressure to pre-rigor rabbit muscles affect the water characteristics of myosin gels.

Myosin was extracted immediately after high-pressure treatment (HP, 100-300MPa for 15 or 180s) to pre-rigor rabbit muscles (PRRMs) for evaluating the influences of HP-treatment on gel properties, using untreated muscles as Controls. Assessment of myosin yields, water-holding capacity (WHC), water mobility and distribution demonstrated that HP modified myosin before its extraction. Myosin gels subjected to HP at 100MPa 180s and 200MPa 15s had enhanced WHC compared with Controls. Also, the highest proportion of immobile-water was observed in myosin gels treated at 200MPa for 15s. HP-treatment of PRRMs affected their physicochemical properties as evidenced by alterations in tertiary, secondary conformations and rheological properties during subsequent heating. These modifications appear to induce various degrees of exposure of hydrophobic and sulfhydryl groups, resulting in different gelation rates. These alterations partly explain the various gel qualities obtained and indicate the potential of HP for pre-rigor muscles.