Tenderness is one of the most important quality attributes of beef. However, one the major problems that remains in the beef industry is the inconsistency of tenderness and the difficulties of its prediction. Beef tenderness is affected by factors related to the animal, such as genetics and nutrition, and also by slaughter practices and handling of beef. In this review, the structure of muscle and its relation to beef tenderness is discussed. The role of molecular markers in animal breeding and its potential application in the prediction of tenderness is emphasized.
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