This includes the description, methods of measurement and the understanding of basic principles explaining the variations in meat quality. In pork, studies have specifically involved the biological factors responsible for postmortem water-holding capacity of skeletal muscle and how it is related to ultimate pH, color and palatability characteristics. In beef, the emphasis is on preventing cold shortening during accelerated processing early post mortem. The addition of food additives to prevent cold shortening in beef and PSE in pork are currently under investigation to improve quality as well as the efficiency of converting plants to animal protein
