## 3 Results and Discussion
### Protein Profile Analysis Using SDS-PAGE  
The SDS-PAGE obtained by separating sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins extracted from the non-treated and treated venison at 1, 7, 14, and 21 days of storage is shown in Figure 2a,b offers insight into the protective effects of the acid treatment on protein stability. The results demonstrate distinct differences in protein degradation between non-treated and treated samples, particularly regarding sarcoplasmic proteins involved in glycolysis and myofibrillar proteins critical for muscle structure. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{c c c c c c c} \hline \hline
**Characteristics** & & **Day 1** & **Day 7** & **Day 14** & **Day 21** & **SE** \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Hardness (N)} & Treated & 22.45\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 20.43\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 10.22\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 10.64\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 3.206094 \\  & Non-treated & 23.76\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 22.61\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 16.17\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{y}}\) & 12.52\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 2.668772 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Cohesiveness (-)} & Treated & 0.37\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.32\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.29\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.29\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.018875 \\  & Non-treated & 0.39\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.34\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.31\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{y}}\) & 0.29\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.021747 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Springiness (mm)} & Treated & 0.80\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.81\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.80\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.81\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.002887 \\  & Non-treated & 0.89\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{y}}\) & 0.83\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.89\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{y}}\) & 0.88\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{y}}\) & 0.014361 \\ \hline \multirow{2}{*}{Chewiness (mJ)} & Treated & 6.69\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 5.23\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 2.42\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 2.56\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 0.889616 \\  & Non-treated & 8.36\({}^{\mathrm{c}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 6.36\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 4.46\({}^{\mathrm{b}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{y}}\) & 3.25\({}^{\mathrm{a}}\)\({}_{\mathrm{x}}\) & 1.356622 \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular} Means in the same row within an attribute with no letters in common (a, b, c; superscript) indicate significant differences across storage periods (\(p<0.05\)); means in the same column with no letters in common (x, y; subscript) indicate significant differences in treatment effects (\(p<0.05\)). Comparisons were made on an individual texture parameter level.  
\end{table} 
Table 2: Hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness of treated (2% lactic acid and 2% ascorbic acid mixture) and non-treated (control) venison steaks at each measurement day at 4 \(\pm\) 1 \({}^{\circ}\)C.  
Figure 2: SDS-PAGE patterns of (**a**) sarcoplasmic and (**b**) myofibrillar proteins from treated (2% lactic acid and 2% ascorbic acid mixture) and non-treated (control) venison samples after 1, 7, 14, and 21 days in vacuum packaging at 4 \(\pm\) 1 \({}^{\circ}\)C. (Lane 1 molecular weight standard; Lanes from 2 to 5, non-treated samples of day 1, 7, 14, and 21; Lanes from 6 to 9, treated samples of day 1, 7, 14, and 21; Phb = Phosphorylase b; Eno = beta-enolase; Ald = Aldolase; GaPDh = Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; LDH = Lactate dehydrogenase; PgaM = Phosphoglycerate mutase; TpI = Triosephosphate isomerase; Mk = Myokinase; Mb = Myoglobin; TnT = Troponin-T; Tm = Tropomyosin; MLC = Myosin light chain; TnI = Troponin-I).