SmartStretch™ technology. I. Improving the tenderness of sheep topsides (m. semimembranosus) using a meat stretching device

Meat Sci. 2012 Jun;91(2):142-7. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2012.01.007. Epub 2012 Jan 21.

Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of stretching hot-boned sheep topsides using a pre-production prototype device (SmartStretch™). To test this effect, 40 sheep from 3 consignments were assessed. Left and right topsides were collected pre-rigour and randomly allocated to one of four treatments; 0 days ageing+SmartStretch™, 0 days ageing+no stretch, 5 days ageing+SmartStretch™ and 5 days ageing+no stretch. Meat from the 0 days aged+no stretch treatment was the least tender and the 5 days ageing+SmartStretch™ treatment resulted in the most tender meat. The m. semimembranosus from topsides stretched using the SmartStretch™ prototype device had a lower cooking loss percentage (P<0.001) and longer sarcomeres (P<0.001) than non-stretched m. semimembranosus. There was no effect of SmartStretch™ on myofibrillar degradation measured using particle size analysis (PSA), but there was an ageing effect (P<0.001). The tenderness of stretched m. semimembranosus showed significant improvement over non-stretched m. semimembranosus.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

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