SUMMARY—pH changes were followed in ox sternomandibularis muscles placed soon after slaughter at temperatures ranging from 1 to 37°C. Over the range 5 to 37°C, the rate at which the pH fell diminished with decrease in temperature, but for the first few hours post‐mortem it was faster at 1 than at 5°C. The ultimate pH attained at 1 or 5°C was significantly higher than that attained at 15, 25,