THE EFFICACY OF HIGH AND LOW-VOLTAGE ELECTRICAL-STIMULATION UNDER DIFFERENT CHILLING REGIMES

Two experiments were conducted to determine the efficacy, in terms of beef quality, of low voltage (LV), high voltage (HV) and combined low and high voltage (LH) electrical stimulation under two chilling regime s (blast chilling, BC; conventional chilling, CC). In both experiments , regardless of the type of electrical stimulation, shear values were significantly lower (P < 0.01) in stimulated carcasses compared with n on-stimulated control carcasses (CON). Despite the results of the obje ctive measures of shear, taste panel data from exp. 1 indicated a pref erence for steaks from treatments subjected to high voltage stimulatio n (HV and LH; P < 0.01). Colour of the musculature in electrically sti mulated carcasses was significantly lighter and brighter than CON carc asses in both experiments. However, in exp. 2, where LV was applied fo r 40 s, a small proportion (approximately 10%) of the carcass sides ex hibited a pale, soft, exudative condition. This was reflected in the s ignificantly higher drip losses in the LH and LV treatments in exp. 2. Overall, these results indicate an advantage of HV over LV stimulatio n. Since high voltage stimulation resulted in improved objective measu res of meat quality and improved palatability, its use can be recommen ded to Canadian packers. Under the blast chilling conditions employed in the present studies there were no significant interactive effects w ith electrical stimulation. Blast chilling resulted in a significant r eduction in cooler shrink (P < 0.01), a darker meat colour (P < 0.01) and slightly higher shear force values. The small magnitude of the inc rease in shear force (approximately 0.3 kg) was not identified by the taste panel and is unlikely to be detected by consumers.