Assessment of the Textural Quality of Meat Patties: Correlation of Instrumental and Sensory Attributes

Compression, shear, tensile and punch tests were used to assess the mechanical strength of a ground meat product and discriminate between effects of various treatments on this type of product. These measurements, together with chemical and moisture retention measurements, were related to sensory attributes of the cooked products. Most of the sensory textural attributes were satisfactorily (i.e., about 80% of the variance) explained or described by a combination of Warner-Bratzler shear parameters and certain compression measurements. Principal co-ordinate analysis showed that tensile measurements related better to sensory greasiness and juiciness than to mechanical strength. Methods for measuring juiciness were not adequate and indicated the need for further investigation.     

A comparison between tensile and shear adhesive strength of meat-myosin junctions

A model meat-myosin gel junction was used to compare the adhesive strength of binding junctions when subject to tensile or shear forces. This comparison was made on junctions cooked to 80°C with three different alignments of muscle fibres with respect to the junction plane. Tensile adhesive strength (TAS) and shear adhesive strength (SAS) did not differ significantly when fibres in both of the bound pieces of meat were perpendicular to the plane of the myosin gel function (90°/90° junction). However, SAS was higher than TAS if the muscle fibres in one or both of the meat pieces were parallel to the plane of the junction. This suggests that tensile failure of binding junctions is the more likely mode of failure. Differences between SAS and TAS in any one junction orientation were small compared to the effect of muscle fibre orientation with respect to the junction; both TAS and SAS were highest for 90°/90° junctions and lowest when muscle fibres in both meat pieces were parallel to the junction (0°/0° junctions).     

Variations in the tensile adhesive strength of meat-myosin junctions due to test configurations

A model system of two thick slices of beef M. semitendinosus stuck together with a crude myosin preparation and cooked to 80°C for 1 h has been used to show the effects of testing configuration on the tensile adhesive strength (TAS) of the meat-myosin junction. TAS decreased with increasing cross-sectional area in a square cross-sectional geometry, but increasing just one dimension of a rectangular cross-section resulted in smaller, often insignificant, decreases in TAS. A hypothesis based on differences in stress distributions over the area of the adhesive joint was proposed to explain this. TAS was found to increase with increasing deformation rate, in accordance with the usual behaviour of viscoelastic materials. TAS was found to be approximately three times higher when muscle fibres in both the meat pieces forming the joint were at right angles to the junction than when one or both meat pieces contained fibres running parallel to the adhesive junction; this latter orientation, being the weaker, is therefore proposed to be the orientation that determines the initial fracture of a meat product, hence its textural properties.     

CORRELATION OF MECHANICAL PROPERTIES, COMPOSITION AND PERCEIVED TEXTURE OF BEEFBURGERS

Twenty-five brands of beefburgers were bought at retail in the United Kingdom, and their weights and dimensions, chemical composition, compressive strength and expressible fluid measured before and after grilling and compared with sensory evaluations. Compressive strength of grilled burgers measured with a punch and die, averaged 2.6 × 10⁴ Nm⁻² and varied from 1.1 to 4.6 × 10⁴Nm⁻² between brands. Beefburgers with a more rubbery, cohesive and coarser, tougher texture had higher compressive strength, higher total nitrogen, higher defatted meat content and more acceptable texture. The major variation in texture between brands was a combination of the sensory attributes rubberiness and tenderness of particles, and 70% of that principal component was accounted for by linear combination of three objective variables with measurements of strength predominant. The second principal sensory component, composed mainly of moistness and comminution attributes, was related to chemical assays and expressible fluid. These findings support the interpretation of the sensory profile as a primary component involving behaviour under stress and strain and a secondary involving perception of structure, composition and moistness.     

Palatability of meat from electrically stimulated carcasses of yearling and older entire-male and female sheep

Pasture-fed male and female sheep ranging in age from yearling to more than 4 years old were slaughtered at various times throughout the year. Carcasses were electrically stimulated and frozen.
Flavour and odour of the cooked meat were evaluated with three different taste-testing procedures: an analytical laboratory taste panel, an in-house consumer taste panel and a mass consumer taste panel. Tenderness was assessed with both a tenderometer and the in-house consumer taste panel.
None of the panels found any differences between the meat from yearling rams or ewes. The laboratory panel detected foreign flavours more commonly in the meat from older rams than older ewes. These foreign flavours were not considered objectionable by the other two taste panels; in fact, meat from the older rams was often preferred to the meat from the older ewes. There were no differences in objective tenderness among sheep from any age group. Taste panel results, however, showed meat from the older sheep to be less tender than that from the yearling sheep, but found no sex-related differences in tenderness between the mutton of similar-aged animals.     

Use of generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA) to test the effects of sex and carcass weight on sensory quality evaluations of Terrincho lamb meat

Generalized Procrustes analysis (GPA) was used to test the sensory attributes of Terrincho lamb meat, a product with Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) labelling. Effects of sex and carcass weight on the following sensory attributes: toughness, juiciness, flavour intensity, odour intensity, stringiness, and level of sweetness were tested. Tests were performed on 28 females and 29 males placed within three classes of carcass weight, 3 to 9 kg. Meat sensory quality was evaluated, within five sessions, by a trained taste panel. Meat was cooked in a conventional oven, cut into pieces, and delivered to the panel for evaluation. Data were analyzed using a GPA to minimize differences between assessors. Two factors explained 72.76% of the total variability. The panel did not clearly detect sex effects, yet could differentiate meat by carcass weight as heavier animals were toughest and had more intense odour and flavour, whilst light animals were most succulent.     

Preference for Commercially Processed Dill Pickles in Relation to Sodium Chloride, Acid, and Texture

Commercially processed dill pickles from 15 companies were evaluated for levels of NaCl, acetic acid, and texture by objective mcasurements and for preference by a consumer panel. Although differences in preference were significant, the concentrations of NaCl and acid, or the values of texture were not significantly related to these differences. The results indicated that NaCl in processed dill pickles could be reduced from present levels without affecting sensory preference for the product.     

Characterization of Exudate Proteins Involved in Binding Meat Pieces into a Sectioned and Formed Beef Steak

Subprimals were randomly allocated into groups using a 2 meat type by 4 mixing time randomized complete block design. The Standard beef rounds and Choice, Yield Grade 3 chucks were obtained within 48 hr of slaughter and fabricated into sectioned and formed beef steaks. Binding strength of individual pieces was measured by sensory panel scores and Instron adhesion values. Myofibrillar proteins present in the exudate were separated using slab gel electrophoresis. Instron adhesion and sensory bind were positively correlated (0.56). There was a significant (P < 0.01) linear increase in binding up to 12 min of mixing. Exudate protein at the bond area increased substantially (P < 0.01) during mixing treatments. Sarcoplasmic proteins remained constant over all treatments. The percent of myofibrillar protein in the exudate decreased as mixing increased. Binding strengths were similar for both muscle types. The relative -amounts of the major myofibrillar proteins, including a fraction in the 30,000 dalton region, did not change over mixing times.     

Consumer sensory evaluation of plain and seasoned goat meat and beef products

Plain meat loaves and chili were prepared with ground goat meat or beef containing 15% fat. A consumer sensory panel first rated meat loaf samples for acceptability on a 9-point hedonic scale. Then, meat loaf samples, followed by chili samples, were each evaluated in triangle test for differentiation between goat meat and beef. Acceptability scores were similar for plain goat meat and beef loaves when the goat meat product was served before the beef product, but were lower for the goat meat with reverse serving order. In triangle tests, goat meat was differentiated from beef, whether plain or seasoned products.     

Preference Testing of Whiskey Sour Formulations: Magnitude Estimation Versus the 9-Point Hedonic

Consumer preferences for different whiskey sour formulations were determined by a consumer laboratory panel and by a home panel using two different sensory techniques: the magnitude estimation procedure and the nine-point hedonic method. Use of the magnitude estimation testing procedure resulted in more statistically significant differences in preference in both the home panel and the consumer laboratory panel. Many more significant differences in preference were expressed by the home panel than by the consumer lab panel. The standard whiskey sour formula scored very well in the preference tests in comparison to the formula adjusted samples. In only two of the comparisons were the adjusted samples preferred over the standard, the 25% dilution of the standard and the 35° proof samples.     

Effect of freezing method and frozen storage duration on lamb sensory quality

This study assessed the effect of three freezing methods with three frozen storage durations (1, 3, and 6 months) on the sensory quality of lamb. Methods were: air blast freezer, freezing tunnel + air blast freezer, and nitrogen chamber + air blast freezer. Meat was frozen after 48 h of ageing (0-4 °C). Fresh meat (72 h ageing at 2-4 °C) was used as control. Sensory analyses (trained panel and consumer tests) were performed on loin chops (Longissimus lumborum) after 24 h of thawing. Results from the trained panel test showed that freezing (method and/or storage duration) had no significant effect. Consumers found that freezing affected sensory quality. Cluster analysis for overall acceptability divided the population into four classes with different preference patterns, and none of them showed a significant preference for fresh meat. The small differences between fresh and thawed meat shown in this study should not give consumers concerns about buying frozen meat or consuming thawed meat.     

Effects of Blade Tenderization, Vacuum Mixing, Salt Addition and Mixing Time on Binding of Meat Pieces into Sectioned and Formed Beef Steaks

Meat pieces (2–3 cm cubes) from A maturity, Standard grade beef rounds were processed into sectioned and formed steaks. Processing treatments were blade tenderization and no blade tenderization, vacuum and no vacuum mixing, 0.5% salt and no salt addition, and 0, 8, 16, and 24 mm mixing times. Thiobarbituric acid (TBA) was used to indicate rancidity, Instron adhesion to evaluate bind between meat pieces, Instron-Kramer shear to evaluate steak tenderness, and a trained sensory panel to evaluate initial and overall tenderness, connective tissue residue, juiciness and flavor. The TBA values were higher in steaks with 0.5% salt after 90 days of storage while no differences were shown between mixing times. Cooking losses were lower after 24 min mixing. Mixing for 16 min increased binding and improved tenderness. Juiciness and flavor were not influenced by mixing time. Meat pieces mixed for 16 min with 0.5% salt produced the best sectioned and formed steaks.     

Effect of comminution method and raw binder system in restructured beef

The effect of particle size, method of particle size reduction (grinding, flaking, slicing) and alginate or Fibrimex(?) binding systems on processing properties of restructured beef were investigated. The size of semimembranosus muscles was reduced with a meat slicer, grinder or flaker (Comitrol) through machine openings that were 2, 4 and 8 mm in size. Bind of meat pieces in raw and cooked beef steakettes were measured. Sensory evaluation to determine the effect of method of size reduction on texture of beef steakettes was done only on steakettes manufactured with alginate. Beef steakettes manufactured with the alginate binding system had significantly (p < 0.05) higher raw bind values than did the beef steakettes manufactured with Fibrimex. Slicing meat for the manufacture of restructured beef steakettes resulted in a higher raw bind than did either grinding or flaking the meat. Significant (p < 0.05) interactions were observed for the bind of cooked steakettes between binder and method of size reduction and binder and opening size. When alginates were used to make restructured steakettes the bind of the cooked product was less (p < 0.05) when meat was sliced than when it was ground or flaked. However, when Fibrimex was used, bind was stronger when sliced meat was used. The alginate system resulted in higher binds for cooked product when particle size was smaller but with the Fibrimex system bind was higher when particle sizes were larger. A consumer panel on alginate restructured steakettes showed no preference for the texture produced by the different methods of particle size reduction.     

Carcass composition and yield of Alaskan reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus) steers and effects of electrical stimulation applied during field slaughter on meat quality

Twenty six adult reindeer steers (>3 years old) were used in a study to evaluate the effect of electrical stimulation (ES) on the quality of hot-boned, rapidly frozen shoulder meat and of the striploin (M. longissimus, LD) from carcasses held at +3°C for 48h. Carcass yield and composition was determined from the left carcass half from which the shoulder meat was not removed. The shoulder meat was processed frozen into cubed, sliced or ground products. Proximate composition of the LD, meat color and water-holding capacity were very similar for the ES (n=15) and non-electrical stimulation (NES; n=11) groups. Ultimate pH and shear force values were significantly lower in the ES meat (LD), however a trained sensory panel could not detect differences between the two groups in any of the measured sensory attributes. Consumer preference tests demonstrated that ES increased tenderness in the cubed and sliced products made from field slaughtered reindeer shoulder meat. ES in combination with hot boning and processing of boneless frozen meat can be used in field slaughter systems for reindeer to improve meat quality and to increase the potential value of the carcass.     

Urban consumer preferences and sensory evaluation of locally produced and imported rice in West Africa

Parboiled rice produced in Ghana is of poor quality and is being overtaken by imported rice. This study sought to investigate consumer preference and relate sensory attributes with consumer acceptability of rice. The majority of consumers preferred imported raw and parboiled rice to that produced locally. Acceptability was influenced by location and gender. Individual preferences of consumers varied and four different segments of consumers with similar liking of the rice samples were identified. The largest three segments (86% of consumers) preferred the imported rice but differed in their preferences for the local rice. A niche segment (14%) mostly preferred traditional local rice. Regression models to predict consumer preference from the sensory panel scores were based on either brown colour of the cooked rice or unshelled paddy in the uncooked form. The models were suitable for three of the consumer segments representing 86% of the consumers. This suggests that while a sensory panel could be used to rapidly monitor consumer acceptability in product development, it was not valid for all consumers. The implications of these findings are discussed.