TENDERNESS OF BEEF LONGISSIMUS DORSI MUSCLE FROM STEERS, HEIFERS AND BULLS AS INFLUENCED BY SOURCE, POST‐MORTEM AGING AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
SUMMARY Cooked steaks from the commercial rib and short loin sections of 168 steer, 143 heifer and 259 bull carcasses were sampled, ribs at one, two and three and loin at two, three, six and 13 days post‐mortem, to evaluate aging patterns on beef tenderness. Steaks from the rib section were more tender than from the short loin section. Aging patterns were similar for all sexes and stations of origin. Shear values dropped 12% over three days post‐mortem in the rib steaks. Shear value from steaks from the loin section did not reduce over the first three days, but between day 3 and day 6 shear values fell 14% and continued to fall at reduced rate (about 1.6% per day) between day 6 and day 13. There was no evidence of any influence of finish, marbling or muscle color on rate or extent of aging on tenderness. Chemical fat determinations and visual marbling scores were only moderately correlated. Similar correlations were found between marbling score and finish (i.e., rib fat measurements). Correlations between 24 hr pH and color of the muscle were moderate to high with marked sex heterogeneity. Correlations involving color and shear value were significant but not consistent among sexes nor among aging periods. It was concluded that with youthful carcasses of all sizes, sexes and degrees of fatness a cooler aging period of six days was sufficient for producing a consumer product of satisfactory tenderness.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: