HOT-PROCESSING AND ELEVATED-TEMPERATURE CONDITIONING INFLUENCES ON LAMB COOKING PROPERTIES, PALATABILITY ATTRIBUTES, AND CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE

A total of 335 lambs 12 to 15 months of age with slaughter weights bet ween 59 and 77 kg were utilized to evaluate the effects of hot-process ing alone or in combination with elevated temperature conditioning on the cooking properties and consumer acceptance of cuts. Composite find ings confirm the detrimental effects of hat-processing on tenderness, but indicate conditioning of boneless, vacuum packaged cuts for six ho urs at 320 degrees C is effective in at least partially offsetting the se detrimental effects without significantly influencing other cooking or palatability attributes. It should be noted, however, neither hot boning alone or in combination with elevated temperature conditioning produced meaningful effects on acceptance based upon palatability trai ts, when assessed by consumers. (C) 1997 Canadian Institute of Food Sc ience and Technology. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.