Beef muscle osmotic pressure as assessed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)

Abstract

SummaryOsmotic pressure, an important physiological characteristic of plant and animal tissues, is difficult to measure, and no convenient and efficient method is so far available. In the present work we developed a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) method, and estimated the physiological osmotic pressure of intact bovine muscle and post‐mortem variation during the conversion of muscle into meat. We also examined the major role of sample pH in this variation. This method, based on the determination of the melting onset point of frozen muscle's indigenous water, was compared to a freezing point osmometric method and a soaking method. It was concluded that the DSC method appeared more practical and reliable than other methods and could be applied to various animal and plant tissues and fluids.