Progress on Muscle Energy Metabolism and Meat Quality after the Slaughter of Livestock and Poultry

After livestock and poultry’s slaughter,muscles provide ATP to meet energy needs through energy metabolic pathways such as glycolysis,and the production of lactic acid reduces pH value. The speed and degree of glycolysis affects the decline speed and degree of pH value,thereby regulating the color,tenderness,water holding capacity,juiciness and flavor of meat. This paper reviews the basic pathway of muscle energy metabolism after livestock and poultry’s slaughter,discusses the regulation mechanism of adenosine 5'-monophosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase on glycolysis and its effect on meat quality,and emphasizes the prevention measures of pale soft and exudative meat,thereby to provide basis for meat quality regulation in the productive process.