ABSTRACT
Lean muscular tissue contains approximately 75% water. Approximately 95% of this water is bound to muscle cells. “Bound” means that the water is restricted in its molecular movements; it is immobilized by charged or hydrophilic side chains of amino acids and capillary forces. A very small amount of water is bound very tightly to proteins such as crystal
water in salt (protein-bound water; Table 7.1). Approximately 80% water is immobilized by the myobrillar and cytoskeletal proteins (intralamental; Table 7.1). In the sarcoplasm with its soluble (sarcoplasmic) proteins between the bers (interbrillar; Table 7.1), approximately 15% of the water is partially immobilized by the protein surfaces, water-solute, and water-water interactions. A part of this water is “free”—it means unbound by protein side chains, ions, or capillary forces. Nevertheless, this
7.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................................................93 7.1.1 General Principles for All Methods Regarding Meat Characteristics ............................................................................94
