Predicting Meat Tenderness Research Articles

Statistical model choice including variable selection based on variable importance: A relevant way for biomarkers selection to predict meat tenderness

In this paper, we describe a new computational methodology to select the best regression model to predict a numerical variable of interest Y and to select simultaneously the most interesting numerical explanatory variables strongly linked to Y. Three regression models (parametric, semi-parametric and non-parametric) are considered and estimated by multiple linear regression, sliced inverse regression and random forests. Both the variables selection and the model choice are computational. A measure of importance based on random perturbations is calculated for each covariate. The variables above a threshold are selected. Then a learning/test samples approach is used to estimate the Mean Square Error and to determine which model (including variable selection) is the most accurate. The R package modvarsel (MODel and VARiable SELection) implements this computational approach and applies to any regression datasets. After checking the good behavior of the methodology on simulated data, the R package is used to select the proteins predictive of meat tenderness among a pool of 21 candidate proteins assayed in semitendinosus muscle from 71 young bulls. The biomarkers were selected by linear regression (the best regression model) to predict meat tenderness. These biomarkers, we confirm the predominant role of heat shock proteins and metabolic ones.

Behi-haragiaren samurtasuna aztergai: estrategia proteomiko berri baten garapena

Samurtasuna behi-haragiaren kalitatean eragiten duen ezaugarri garrantzitsua da, kontsumitzaileak produktua aukeratzeko orduan gehien balioesten duenen artean dagoena. Hori dela eta, muskulua haragi bihurtu bitarteko prozesu biokimikoaren azterketak berebiziko garrantzia dauka. Izan ere, ontze-prozesu honetan garatzen da neurri handi batean amaierako produktuaren samurtasuna. Prozesu honetan proteinek daukaten garrantzizko papera laburbilduko da artikulu honetan, bai eta teknika proteomikoek haragiaren kalitatea aztertzeko eta optimizatzeko eskaintzen dituzten aukerak ere, haragi-industriari begira probetxuzkoak izan daitezkeenak. Zentzu honetan, gure taldeak garatutako estrategia proteomiko berria aurkeztuko da, isoelektrofokatze likidoa (OFFGEL) eta elektroforesia oinarri dituena. Maine Anjou behi arrazako animalien haragian burututako esperimentuan samurtasunaren adierazgarri diren 7 banda identifikatu eta neurtu dira, muskuluaren proteoma ikertzeko metodologia berritzaile honen potentziala agerian utziz.

El sistema proteolítico calpaina en la tenderización de la carne: Un enfoque molecular.

a terneza de la carne es considerada como el atributo de mayor importancia en el concepto de calidad de carne. El proceso de tenderización de la carne post mortem es principalmente el resultado de la degradación de proteínas clave de las fibras musculares, mediado por las proteasas del sistema calpaína. Este sistema proteico está compuesto por tres moléculas: dos proteasas calcio-dependientes y su inhibidor específico. Numerosos estudios han demostrado que el sistema calpaína desempeña un papel central en la proteólisis postmortem y en la tenderización de la carne. El objetivo de esta revisión es describir los últimos descubrimientos bioquímicos y moleculares en relación con este sistema proteolítico y su relación con la terneza de la carne bovina. Se describen los hallazgos de polimorfismos de ADN y de expresión de ARNm y proteínas, como herramientas para predecir la terneza de la carne. La comprensión de las bases moleculares de la tenderización de la carne puede ser de utilidad para la industria cárnica, permitiendo la modificación de las prácticas de manipulación antes del sacrificio y los tratamientos post mortem, mejorando la calidad de la carne bovina.

Myofibril Fragmentation Index as an Immediate Postmortem Predictor of Buffalo Meat Tenderness

A study was undertaken to compare and correlate the myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) of fresh buffalo longissimus steaks with Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and the subjective measurement of overall tenderness to suggest the suitability of MFI as a predictor of cooked buffalo meat tenderness. The study revealed a significant positive correlation (P < 0.01) between MFI and WBSF from day 1 to 8. The mean correlation coefficients (r2) of overall tenderness with MFI and WBSF were 0.61 and 0.73, respectively. This indicates that MFI could be used as an objective method of evaluation of tenderness of buffalo meat as it is strongly correlated with the overall tenderness and WBSF. Therefore, MFI of raw aged buffalo longissimus steaks can be used as a predictor of cooked buffalo meat tenderness enabling selection of tender meat for retail sale and processing. Furthermore, the results imply that significant tenderization occurs during the first 24 h postmortem. Practical Applications Myofibril fragmentation index appears to be an effective tool in predicting meat tenderness early postmortem as it was found to correlate with both Warner-Bratzler shear force values and objective measures of tenderness of cooked meat. This index is a very useful indicator of meat tenderness, particularly for muscles not big enough to determine shear force or sensory tenderness. This can be of special promise to the meat industry or retailers in developing countries where there is a need for early postmortem measurements to assess meat quality as early as possible after slaughter. A significant amount of tenderization occurs during the first 24 h postmortem as is obvious from the results; the industry can equip themselves to further enhance this early postmortem proteolysis so that the consumer acceptance of the final product can be improved.

Industrial Applications of Selected JFS Articles

Industrial Applications of Selected <i>JFS</i> Articles

An independent validation association study of carcass quality, shear force, intramuscular fat percentage and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content with gene markers in Australian lamb

Previous association studies revealed several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that explained the observed phenotypic variation for meat tenderness and long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content of Australian lamb. To confirm the validity of these associated SNPs at predicting meat tenderness and omega-3 PUFA content, an independent validation study was designed. The OvineSNP50 genotypes of these animals were used to impute the 192 SNP Meat Quality Research (MQR) panel genotypes on nearly 6200 animals from the Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation Information Nucleus Flock and Sheep Genomics Falkiner Memorial Field Station flock. Association analysis revealed numerous SNP from the 192 SNP MQR panel that were associated with carcass quality – fat depth at the C-site and eye muscle depth; shear force at day 1 and day 5 after slaughter (SF1 and SF5); and omega-3 PUFA content at P<0.01. However, 1 SNP was independently validated for SF5 (i.e. CAST_101781475). The magnitude of the effect of each significant SNP and the relative allele frequencies across Merino-, Maternal- and Terminal-sired progeny was determined. The independently validated SNP for SF5 and the associated SNP with omega-3 PUFA content will accelerate efforts to improve these phenotypic traits in Australian lamb.

EFFECT OF MARINATING TEMPERATURES ON PHYSICAL CHANGES OF TRADITIONALLY MARINATED BEEF SATAY

The effects of marination on weight gain was studied by seasoning tender block cuts of beef chuck in satay marinades at two temperatures to emulate household practices of marination process. Marinating at 4C gave a higher total weight gain, 17.05% compared to only 7.74% for marination at 25C. The weight gain reached its maximum after 2 h, and thereafter stabilized. The two models describing the weight gain as a function of marinating time, y = 3lnx + 12.5 and y = 13.5x0.15, had a R2 of 0.825 and 0.797, respectively. In predicting meat tenderness using the Warner-Bratzler shear force values, a strong positive correlation with the cooking loss (P < 0.01) and a negative correlation with the weight gain (P < 0.05) illustrated the importance of cooking loss or water enhancement in affecting tenderness of cooked beef.

Contribution of postmortem muscle biochemistry to the delivery of consistent meat quality with particular focus on the calpain system

Tenderness has been repeatedly reported as the most important quality aspect of meat. However, a number of studies have shown that a significant portion of retail meat can be considered tough. As a consequence, a significant consumer segment is willing to pay a premium for guaranteed tender meat. However, apart from measuring the shear force, there is no reliable method to predict tenderness. Most of the branded meat programs therefore attempt to ensure eating quality by controlling some of the factors that affect tenderness. Meat tenderness is determined by the amount and solubility of connective tissue, sarcomere shortening during rigor development, and postmortem proteolysis of myofibrillar and myofibrillar-associated proteins. Given the effect of postmortem proteolysis on the muscle ultrastructure, titin and desmin are likely key substrates that determine meat tenderness. A large number of studies have shown that the calpain proteolytic system plays a central role in postmortem proteolysis and tenderization. In skeletal muscle, the calpain system consists of at least three proteases, μ-calpain, m-calpain and calpain 3, and an inhibitor of μ- and m-calpain, calpastatin. When activated by calcium, the calpains not only degrade subtrates, but also autolyze, leading to loss of activity. m-Calpain does not autolyze in postmortem muscle and is therefore not involved in postmortem tenderization. Results from a number of studies, including a study on calpain 3 knockout mice, have shown that calpain 3 is also not involved in postmortem proteolysis. However, a large number of studies, including a study on μ-calpain knockout mice, have shown that μ-calpain is largely, if not solely, responsible for postmortem tenderization. Research efforts in this area should, therefore, focus on elucidation of regulation of μ-calpain activity in postmortem muscle. Discovering the mechanisms of μ-calpain activity regulation and methods to promote μ-calpain activity should have a dramatic effect on the ability of researchers to develop reliable methods to predict meat tenderness and on the meat industry to produce a consistently tender product.

Intramuscular variation in beef tenderness

Intramuscular variation of beef tenderness was investigated in three muscles: Semitendinosus (ST), Triceps brachii (TB) and Rectus femoris (RF). The aim of the study was to evaluate a French process (called “affranchi”) used to improve meat tenderness. Two groups of 72 muscles (24 ST, 24 TB and 24 RF) aged 10 and 14 days respectively, were assessed for tenderness by sensory analysis and compression measurements. For all three muscles, sensory evaluation showed a significant intramuscular variation in tenderness with a longitudinal gradient. Compression measurements on the raw meat showed similar results but of reduced accuracy. It appears that the process “affranchi” which consists in removing a part of the muscle, is very useful to improve meat tenderness and could be used by meat processors. The low relationship between compression measurements and sensory evaluation suggest compression measurements on raw meat are not suitable to predict meat tenderness as perceived by consumers.

Near-infrared reflectance analysis for predicting beef longissimus tenderness.

Near-infrared reflectance spectra (1,100 to 2,498 nm) were collected on beef longissimus thoracis steaks for the purpose of establishing the feasibility of predicting meat tenderness by spectroscopy. Partial least squares (PLS) analysis (up to 20 factors) and multiple linear regression (MLR) were used to predict cooked longissimus Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force values from spectra of steaks from 119 beef carcasses. Modeling used the combination of log(1/R) and its second derivative. Overall, absorption was higher for extremely tough steaks than for tender steaks. This was particularly true at wavelengths between 1,100 and 1,350 nm. For PLS regression, optimal model conditions (R2 = .67; SEC = 1.2 kg) occurred with six PLS factors. When the PLS model was tested against the validation subset, similar performance was obtained (R2 = .63; SEP = 1.3 kg) and bias was small (<.3 kg). Among the 39 samples in the validation data set, 48.7, 87.7, and 97.4% of the samples were predicted within 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 kg, respectively, of the observed Warner-Bratzler shear force value. The optimal PLS model was able to predict whether a steak would have a Warner-Bratzler shear force value < 6 kg with 75% accuracy. The R2 of MLR model was .67, and 89% of samples were correctly classified (< 6 vs > 6 kg) for Warner-Bratzler shear force. These data indicate that NIR is capable of predicting Warner-Bratzler shear force values of longissimus steaks. Refinement of this technique may allow nondestructive measurement of beef longissimus at the processing plant level.

LITERATURE ABSTRACTS

GENERAL PRINCIPLES: The Interfacial Behaviour of Three Food Proteins Studied by the Drop Volume Technique. Eva TornbergGENERAL PRINCIPLES: Phase Behaviour of Some Aqueous Systems Involving Monoglycerides, Cholesterol and Bile Acids. K&amp;e Larsson, Kerstin Gabrielsson and Bo Lundberg.GENERAL PRINCIPLES: Functional Characterisation of Protein Stabilised Emulsions: Emulsifying Behaviour of Proteins in a Valve Homogeniser. Eva Tornberg.GENERAL PRINCIPLES: Myofibril Fragmentation and Shear Resistance of Three Bovine Muscles During Postmortem Storage. D. G. Olson, F. C. Parrish, Jr. and M. H. Stromer.INSTRUMENTATION AND METHODOLOGY: A Texture Measurement Technique for Sweet Cherries. P. D. Lidster, S. W. Porritt, M. A. Tung and P. W. Voisey.INSTRUMENTATION AND METHODOLOGY: The Shear Force of the Individual Muscle Fiber and Its Usefulness in Predicting Meat Tenderness. J. L. Marsden.INSTRUMENTATION AND METHODOLOGY: A Bulk Compressibility Tester for Agricultural Products. P. Chen, H. E. Studer and S. T. Lam.SUBJECTIVE MEASUREMENTS: A Consumer Test of Bull us Steer Beef. Peter Baron David Lesser,1 Ian Robertson2, Doreen Parry,3 Basil Lowman: Neil Scott! and John Prescott4.FACTORS AFFECTING TEXTURE: The Consistency of Compote Made from Canning Types of Peaches. S. Marinov,FACTORS AFFECTING TEXTURE: Effect of Rate of Chilling on the Variability in Texture of the Beef Round. Eric Dransfield and Richard C. D. Jones.FACTORS AFFECTING TEXTURE: Changes in the Physicochemical Properties of Rice with Aging. Yelandur M. Indudhara Swamy, Chakrabhavi M. Sowbhagya and Kshirod R. BhattacharyaFACTORS AFFECTING TEXTURE: Studies on Modification of the Shear Strength of Wheat Protein/Casein Fibers.RELATIONSHIP TO STRUCTURE: Relationship Between Structure and Texture of Extruded Soy and Cottonseed Flour Products. T. Salazar de Buckle, L. E. Zagata, A. Mercedes de Sanoval, I. Ben‐Gera and I. Shomer (Inst. de Investigaciones Technologicas, Apartado.RELATIONSHIP TO STRUCTURE: Further Investigation on the Structure of Thick Egg White. Y. Sat0 and S. Hyaakawa.

LITERATURE ABSTRACTS

The Shear Force of the Individual Muscle Fiber and its Usefulness in Predicting Meat Tenderness. J. L. MarsdenAn Empirical Method for Estimation of the Yield Stress from Relaxation Data. M. PelegTensile Strength and the Tenderness of Beef Sternomandibularis Muscle. C. L. Davey and K.V. GilbertEffect of Degree of Concentration and of Heat Treatment on Consistency of Tomato Pastes After Dilution. G. L. Marsh, J. Buhlert and S. LeonardMeasuring the Strength of Uncooked Spaghetti by the Bending Test. P. W. VoiseyA Versatile Pen‐holder for Chart Recorders. H. J. NieschlagCorrelation of Dough Stickiness with Texturometer Reading and with Various Quality Parameters. G. Noguchi, M. Shiny a, K. Tanaka and T. YoneyamaEffect of the Orientation of Muscle Fibers on the Compression Characteristics of Beef. E. DransfieldThe Effect of Deformation Rate and Other Factors on the Force Required to Fracture Egg Shells in Measuring Shell Strength. P. W. VoiseyFirmness of Peaches Measured Non‐destructively. A. E. Watada, J. A. Abbott and E. E. Finney, Jr.Modification of the Ultrastructure and Rheology of Rehydrated Commercial Wheat Gluten. D. B. Gumming and M. A. TungEffect of Storage Temperature on Tuber Composition, Extrusion Force and Brabender Viscosity. S. C. Ridley and J. M. HoganThe Influence of Raw Material Proportion and Some Process Variables on the Properties of Liver Sausage (lecture). F. Brouwer, J. Schut and J. C. M. van ZutphenAge‐related Traits Affecting the Tenderness of the Bovine Longissumus Muscle. J. O. Reagan, Z. L. Carpenter and G. C. SmithThe Effect of Some Functional Properties of Added Protein on Properties of Meat Systems (lecture). A. M. HermanssonChanges in Myofibrillar Proteins and Their Relationship to Bovine Skeletal Muscle Tenderization (lecture). F. C. Parrish, Jr., D.G. Olson, D. E. Goll and M. H. StromerMechanically Tenderized Beef (lecture). H. W. Ockerman, R.F. Plimpton, V. R. Cahill and K. J. BoydThe Influence of the Physical Structure of the Protein Matrix on Wheat Hardness. N. L. Stenvert and K. Kingswood

LITERATURE ABSTRACTS

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LITERATURE ABSTRACTS

LITERATURE ABSTRACTS