title: Rapid tenderisation of lamb M. longissimus with very fast chilling depends on rapidly achieving sub-zero temperatures.
abstract: A study was undertaken to determine whether variations within the defined temperature-by-time profile for very fast chilling (VFC), might explain variations in tenderness found with VFC. Loins from 32 lambs were subjected to one of five cooling regimes; defined by the average temperature between the meat surface and centre reached at a specific time post mortem. These were: -0.3 °C at 22 h (Control), 2.6 °C at 1.5 h (Fast(supra-zero)), 0.7 °C at 5.5 h (Slow(supra-zero)), -1.6 °C at 1.5 h (Fast(sub-zero)) and -2.3 °C at 5.5 h (Slow(sub-zero)), respectively. Shear force values considered very tender by consumers (less than 50 N, MIRINZ tenderometer) were found 2 days post mortem in Fast(sub-zero) loins only. Both time and temperature at the end of the cooling period contributed to variations in shear force. To achieve low shear force, the loins needed to be cooled to less than 0 °C at 1.5 h post mortem.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agriculture and Food WA, Baron Hay Court South Perth, WA 6151, Australia. robin.jacob@agric.wa.gov.au
authors.forename: Robin
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jacob
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rosenvold
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: North
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: Robyn
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.forename: Geert
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Geesink
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003080:Cold Temperature; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal; D012756:Sheep; D013314:Stress, Mechanical