Variability in residual myoglobin content and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) activity in cooked bovine semimembranosus tissue as related to temperature of cooking media above end-point temperature and sample size

The variables, sample size and temperature of cooking media, were tested to determine their influence on myoglobin content and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) activities in bovine semimembranosus tissue thermally processed in a model heat treatment system. Data were obtained from 2.9 and 5.5 X 8.0 cm samples that were thermally processed to end-point temperatures (EPTs) of 62.8, 71.1 and 79.4 degrees C in a water bath that exceeded EPTs by 2 and 20 degrees C. Myoglobin denaturation differed (P 0.05) by EPTs within samples, by sample size at the specified EPTs and by temperature of the heating media used to attain the EPTs within sample sizes. Similar variations at this probability level were observed in the analyses for residual GOT activities of the samples. Data indicate the inadequacies of analysis of these parameters in model systems that do not duplicate the actual process being evaluated