HOT-BONING, ELEVATED-TEMPERATURE CONDITIONING, AND VACUUM-PACKAGED AGING INFLUENCES ON LAMB COOKING LOSSES AND PALATABILITY

Wether lambs (64) were utilized to examine the effects of hot-boning ( HB), elevated temperature conditioning (ETC) and vacuum packaged aging (VPS) on the cooking properties and palatability attributes of racks. Samples were HB at approximately 45 min post-mortem and ETC for 0, 2, 4, or 6 hr at 32 degrees C. Following ETC, samples were VPS for 6, 13 , 27, or 41 days at 1 +/- 2 degrees C. Wholesale racks could be HB at 45 min without influencing cooking lasses or palatability attributes ( P>0.05). VPS: however, improved initial and overall tenderness and red uced the amount of perceptible connective tissue, but increased total cooking losses, reduced juiciness, and intensified flavor (P<0.05).