Abstract: This experiment was performed to investigate the effect of postmortem electrical stimulation (ES) on the meat quality of Duolang sheep, a local breed raised in Xinjiang. The results showed that ES significantly increased the rate of pH decline and reduced purge loss and cooking loss of ovine longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle at day 1 postmortem (P < 0.05). The myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) of LD muscle in the ES group was significantly higher than the control group (P < 0.05), but the shear force in the ES group at day 1 postmortem was significantly lower when compared to the control group, indicating improved meat tenderness. The L* and b* values at day 3 postmortem were significantly decreased by ES (P < 0.05). The anaerobic glycolysis rate of the muscle during the early postmortem stage (within 14 h) was significantly accelerated in the ES group. The degradation rate of glycogen, adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate and the generation rate of lactic acid, adenosine monophosphate and inosine monophosphate were significantly increased by ES (P < 0.05). Comparison of three different ES groups (30, 60 and 90 s) showed that the best ES time to improve the meat quality was 60 s. Finally, we concluded that ES for 60 s at a voltage 70 V and at a frequency of 50 Hz has application potential in postmortem carcass handling of Duolang sheep.

Key words: electrical stimulation, Duolang sheep, meat quality