much; otherwise the filaments bunch up and
bond very tightly and the meat becomes
exceptionally tough. Eventually, protein-
digesting enzymes within the muscle fibers
begin to eat away the framework that holds
the actin and myosin filaments in place. The
filaments are still locked together, and the
muscles cannot be stretched, but the overall
muscle structure weakens, and the meat
texture softens. This is the beginning of the
aging process. It becomes noticeable after
about a day in beef, after several hours in pork
and chicken.
The inevitable toughening during rigor
mortis can be worsened by poor temperature
control, and may be the source of excessive
toughness in retail meats.
Aging
Like cheese and wine, meat benefits from a
certain period of aging, or slow chemical