title: Variable effect of steam injection level on beef muscles: semitendinosus and biceps femoris cooked in convection-steam oven.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Combi ovens are used very often in restaurants to heat up food. According to the producers the equipment allows to cook meat portions which are more tender and flavoursome comparing to conventional cooking techniques.
  
  
  METHODS
  Beef steaks from muscles semitendinosus and biceps femoris were cooked in convection-steam oven at three humidity levels: 10, 60 and 100%. Chemical composition, including total and insoluble collagen content and cook losses were analysed along with the texture and colour parameters.
  
  
  RESULTS
  M. biceps femoris was the hardest and the most chewy at 100% steam saturation level and hardness measured for m. semitendinosus was the lowest at 10% of vapour injection. Changing the steam conditions in the oven chamber did not affect the detectable colour differences of m. biceps femoris, but it was significant for m. semitendinosus. Applying 100% steam saturation caused higher cook losses and the increase of insoluble collagen fractions in both analysed muscles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results are beneficial for caterers using steam-convection ovens in terms of providing evidence that the heating conditions should be applied individually depending on the muscle used. The tenderness of m. semitendinosus muscle cooked at 10% steam saturation level was comparable to the tenderness obtained for the same muscle aged for 10 days and cooked with 100% steam saturation. Steaks from m. biceps femoris muscle should be cooked with maximum 60% saturation level to obtain higher tenderness.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Products Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Marzena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zając
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Products Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Sławomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kącik
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Products Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Krystyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Palka
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Products Technology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Paweł
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Widurek
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D003094:Collagen / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D003296:Cooking / Q000379:methods*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000032:analysis / Q000737:chemistry; D018857:Food Packaging; D063427:Food Quality; D061353:Food Storage; D000070633:Hamstring Muscles / Q000737:chemistry*; D006244:Hardness; D006801:Humans; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis* / Q000191:economics; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D009753:Nutritive Value; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000032:analysis; D011044:Poland; D012677:Sensation; D012995:Solubility; D013227:Steam; D013499:Surface Properties; D014618:Vacuum
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D013227:Steam; D003094:Collagen
keywords: beef; colour; convection-steam oven; meat quality; tenderness