SmartStretch™ technology. II. Improving the tenderness of leg meat from sheep using a meat stretching device

E S Toohey; R van de Ven; J M Thompson; G H Geesink; D L Hopkins

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.01.003

SmartStretch™ technology. II. Improving the tenderness of leg meat from sheep using a meat stretching device

Meat Sci. 2012 Jun;91(2):125-30. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.01.003. Epub 2012 Jan 20.

Authors

E S Toohey¹, R van de Ven, J M Thompson, G H Geesink, D L Hopkins

Affiliation

¹ NSW Department of Primary Industries, Dubbo, Australia. [email protected]

PMID: 22305770
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.01.003

Abstract

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.

Publication types

Evaluation Study
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Food Handling / instrumentation
Food Handling / methods*
Food Technology
Humans
Leg*
Meat / analysis*
Muscle, Skeletal / physiology*
Myofibrils / physiology*
Particle Size
Sarcomeres / physiology*
Sheep, Domestic
Stress, Mechanical*