The Effects of Pre- and Post-rigor High-intensity Ultrasound Treatment on Aspects of Lamb Tenderness

Abstract

Lamblongissimus thoracis et lumborummuscles were excised by either hot or cold boning, cut into steaks and sonicated using a 20-kHz ultrasonic probe placed at intervals on the meat surface for 15-s periods to expose the entire surface of the meat to 62 W/cm2of ultrasound. The influence of the ultrasound treatment was assessed on peak load bite-force tenderometry values, sensory characteristics, solubility of collagen and myofibrillar proteolysis using SDS–PAGE. Bite-force tenderometry, sensory analysis and collagen solubility all showed no effect due to ultrasound treatment. SDS–PAGE also revealed no apparent difference between ultrasound-treated and control samples either in the numbers of bands evident on gels or in the rate of appearance/disappearance of the characteristic bands of ageing, suggesting no influence on myofibrillar proteolysis due to the ultrasound treatment.