Highlights
• The tenderness of pork meat was improved under chilling rate 14.43 ℃/h.
• VFC improved tenderness from the aspects of glycolysis and proteasome.
• VFC delayed glycolysis process by down-regulating enzyme expression.
• VFC tenderized meat by promoting proteasome expression.
• VFC promoted the degradation of skeletal proteins and maintained the integrity of sarcomere.