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

Twelve different muscles or muscle groups were removed from both sides of 2 5 Canada AA beef carcasses. Muscles or muscle groups from alternate carcass sides were either mechanically tenderized or served as controls. Mechanica l 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, insid e 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 mechan ical tenderization. Moreover, connective issue in the top sirloin, striploi n, and eye of the round was less perceptible after mechanical tenderization , but juiciness was decreased in the blade eye and top sirloin. Flavor inte nsity of the top sirloin and rib-eye was also reduced by mechanical tenderi zation. However, the desirability of the flavor of the inside round was imp roved by mechanical tenderization and the overall palatability of the insid e round and eye of the round improved with mechanical tenderization. Mechan ical tenderization decreased the proportion of inside round samples rated t ough initially and overall from 52 to 20% and from 36 to 12% respectively. Mechanical tenderization also reduced the proportion of outside round sampl es perceived to contain a slight or greater amount of connective tissue fro m 36 to 12%. In addition, mechanical tenderization reduced the proportion o f inside round samples with undesirable flavor from 16 to 0% and reduced th e proportion of unpalatable rib-eye, inside round, and eye of the round sam ples from 12 to 0, 36 to 8 and 80 to 40%, respectively. Consequently, mecha nical tenderization can be effectively utilized to reduce the variability a nd improve the tenderness and palatability of certain muscles, particularly hip muscles. (C) 2000 Canadian Institute of Food Science and Technology. P ublished by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.