Tenderization of beef loins using a high efficiency sparker.

摘要

The tenderizing effects of treating beef loins with high-pressure shockwaves from a sparker source were evaluated. Samples were sparker treated as either steaks or intact loin roasts on day 0 and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) was measured on days 0 and 7. With the sparker head 7.5-cm above the samples, non-aged steaks receiving 80 pulses at two locations had lower WBSF than controls. Aging decreased WBSF in all samples. With the sparker head set at 3.75-cm, treated samples exhibited 20-25% lower WBSF values than controls on day 0 and all of the treated samples demonstrated WBSF reductions >10%. Samples treated as individual steaks and intact loin roasts had similar tenderness improvements. The maximum observed tenderness improvements were 37% (entire steak), 56% (medial portion of steak), and 31% (lateral portion of steak). Data from this study indicate that high-pressure shockwaves generated from a sparker source are an effective postharvest technology for tenderizing beef. Industrial relevance: Improving meat tenderness is essential to enhancing the value and consumer appeal of inferior quality meat cuts. Demonstrating the ability to tenderize tough cuts of meat using sparker generated high-pressure shockwaves is an important step in providing the meat industry with an effective postharvest technology for improving product quality.