The influence of mechanical tenderization on the palatability of certain bovine muscles

Abstract

Twelve different muscles or muscle groups were removed from both sides of 25 Canada AA beef carcasses. Muscles or muscle groups from alternate carcass sides were either mechanically tenderized or served as controls. Mechanical tenderization increased thaw-drip losses from the brisket approximately 1.25% and cooking losses from the blade eye by approximately 2.75%, but did not influence cooking times. Mechanical tenderization also improved initial and overall tenderness of the outside round, top sirloin, striploin, inside round and chuck tender. In addition initial tenderness of the sirloin tip eye and overall tenderness of the eye of the round were improved by mechanical tenderization. Moreover, connective issue in the top sirloin, striploin, and eye of the round was less perceptible after mechanical tenderization, but juiciness was decreased in the blade eye and top sirloin. Flavor intensity of the top sirloin and rib-eye was also reduced by mechanical tenderization. However, the desirability of the flavor of the inside round was improved by mechanical tenderization and the overall palatability of the inside round and eye of the round improved with mechanical tenderization. Mechanical tenderization decreased the proportion of inside round samples rated tough initially and overall from 52 to 20% and from 36 to 12% respectively. Mechanical tenderization also reduced the proportion of outside round samples perceived to contain a slight or greater amount of connective tissue from 36 to 12%. In addition, mechanical tenderization reduced the proportion of inside round samples with undesirable flavor from 16 to 0% and reduced the proportion of unpalatable rib-eye, inside round, and eye of the round samples from 12 to 0, 36 to 8 and 80 to 40%, respectively. Consequently, mechanical tenderization can be effectively utilized to reduce the variability and improve the tenderness and palatability of certain muscles, particularly hip muscles.