SmartStretch™ technology. II. Improving the tenderness of leg meat from sheep using a meat stretching device.
This study evaluated the effect of stretching hot-boned sheep hindlegs from 40 sheep carcases, classified as mutton, using a prototype device (SmartStretch™). Left and right legs were collected pre-rigor and randomly allocated to one of four treatments; 0days ageing+SmartStretch™, 0days ageing+no stretch, 5days ageing+SmartStretch™ and 5days ageing+no stretch. There was a significant interaction between stretch treatment and ageing (P<0.05) for shear force of the m. biceps femoris such that stretched and aged samples were the most tender. By contrast stretched m. semimembranosus (SM) had a significantly (P<0.05) lower shear force only at 0days of ageing. Stretching produced longer sarcomeres (P<0.001) for both the SM and m. semitendinosus muscles. Myofibrillar degradation indicated by particle size analysis or histology was not affected by stretching, but there was an ageing effect (P<0.001). SmartStretch™ provided significant improvements in tenderness of the individual muscles.
NSW Department of Primary Industries, Dubbo, Australia. edwina.toohey@dpi.nsw.gov.au
E S
ES
Toohey
R
R
van de Ven
J M
JM
Thompson
G H
GH
Geesink
D L
DL
Hopkins
D000818:Animals; D005511:Food Handling / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005524:Food Technology; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D009210:Myofibrils / Q000502:physiology*; D010316:Particle Size; D012518:Sarcomeres / Q000502:physiology*; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D013314:Stress, Mechanical