The Mitochondrion: A Redox-Centric Mediator of Postmortem Meat Quality

Mitochondrial function critically modulates postmortem meat quality development, but the underlying regulatory mechanisms and relative contributions of diverse regulated cell death pathways remain insufficiently clarified. Despite extensive investigations into individual postmortem processes, a coherent framework for understanding how mitochondria-mediated events interact to govern meat quality is still lacking. This review takes the mitochondrion as redox-sensitive integrator to systematically elucidate its regulatory roles in postmortem meat tenderization, color stability, and water-holding capacity. It reveals the complex, process-driven interplay of intrinsic apoptosis, lysosomal-mitochondrial crosstalk, ferroptosis, and the calpain system in tenderization, deciphers the dual roles of mitochondria in oxygen competition and NADH-dependent metmyoglobin reduction for color stability, and delineates how mitochondrial bioenergetic collapse and structural disintegration drive drip loss and impaired water-holding capacity. Key methodological and conceptual challenges are also addressed. Furthermore, the potential of nutritional preconditioning targeting mitochondrial pathways to alleviate meat quality deterioration is evaluated. Finally, priority future research directions are proposed to advance mechanistic understanding and industrial translation.