Effect of marination and microwave heating on the quality of Semimembranosus and Semitendinosus muscles from Friesian mature cows

Semimembranosus (SM) and Semitendinosus (ST) muscles from 8 mature cows were used to evaluate the effect of marination, power of microwave heating, and internal temperature of cooking on the quality of calibrated beef roasts. Four treatments, using combinations of power (182W and 654W) and temperature (60 and 80°C) were applied to marinated (10% added brine: salt, sodium lactate, lactose, and ascorbate) and control roasts from SM (15×5×3cm) and ST (10×4×3cm) muscles in a 2×2×2 factorial arrangement. Microwave cooking was heterogeneous resulting in a gradient of temperatures within the roasts. Either high or low microwave power were appropriate for cooking ST roasts, but SM roasts cooked at 654W showed higher cooking losses, and lighter and less red cooked color than 182W. Cooking to 80°C increased cooking and color losses in both muscles and decreased tenderness of SM roasts compared with 60°C. Marination can be used successfully to enhance beef tenderness of ST and SM muscles cooked in microwave.     

Effects of cooking beef muscles from frozen or thawed states on cooking traits and palatability

Biceps femoris and longissimus lumborum steaks were cooked from either a frozen or thawed state on an electric belt grill (TBG-60 MagiKitch'n Inc., Quakertown, PA) at 93?°C to the endpoint temperature of 70?°C. Cooking loss, cooking time, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and color (Illuminant A, L(?), a(?), b(?)) were evaluated. Trained panelists (n=6) evaluated palatability attributes on an eight-point scale for myofibrillar tenderness, juiciness, flavor, overall tenderness, and connective tissue amount (1=extremely tough, dry, bland, tough, and abundant; 8=extremely tender, juicy, intense, tender, and none). L(?), a(?), WBSF, juiciness, flavor, connective tissue amount, and overall tenderness did not differ (P>0.05) between steaks cooked from frozen and thawed states. However, thawed steaks cooked faster and had lower cooking losses than frozen steaks. The biceps femoris had higher WBSF values than the longissimus lumborum and was rated less tender by trained panelists. L(?), a(?), or b(?) values did not differ (P>0.05) between muscles. The biceps femoris needed more time to cook and had greater cooking losses than longissimus lumborum. Dimensional changes of steaks cooked to either 60 or 70?°C were studied. The width of biceps femoris steaks decreased 12.2%, and width of longissimus lumborum decreased 6.3%. Longissimus lumborum steaks became shorter (P<0.01) than biceps femoris steaks. Thickness of biceps femoris steaks decreased 25.6%, and thickness of longissimus lumborum steaks decreased 23.3%. Muscle type had a more pronounced effect on dimensional changes of steaks than endpoint temperature.     

The effects of different cooking regimes on the cook yield and tenderness of non-injected and injection enhanced forequarter beef muscles

The aim was to investigate the effect of different cooking regimes on the cook yield and tenderness of non-injected and brine injected (0.5% residual NaCl) bovine M. triceps brachii caput longum (TB), M. supraspinatus (SP) and M. pectoralis profundus (PP). Injected and non-injected TB, SP and PP muscle sections (400 g) were (a) conventionally oven cooked to 72 °C or cooked slowly (using a Δ10 programme) to 72 °C or (b) cooked in a water bath to 72 °C or cooked in a water bath to 55 °C and held at this temperature for 2 h before heating to 72 °C. In addition, injected PP muscle sections were oven cooked to 69 °C and held at this temperature for up to 12 h. Slow cooking using a Δ10 programme had no significant (P < 0.05) effect on WBSF values of injected or non-injected SP and TB muscles but significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the WBSF values of injected and non-injected PP muscles when compared to conventional cooking. Slow cooking significantly (P < 0.05) increased % cook yield of injected PP, SP and TB muscles. Staged cooking significantly (P < 0.05) decreased the WBSF values and had no significant effect on sensory tenderness ratings of non-injected TB, SP and PP muscles and injected PP muscles. Staged cooked injected or non-injected PP, SP and TB muscles had lower % cook yield values than those cooked straight to 72 °C. Increasing the cooking time of injected PP muscles at 69 °C to 8 and 12 h decreased % cook yield, decreased WBSF values and increased sensory tenderness ratings. It also alleviated the problem of residual chewiness which was evident in PP muscles cooked using the other regimes.     

The influence of cooking rate and holding time on beef chuck and round flavor

Steaks from seven muscles from 10 beef carcasses were cooked quickly or slowly and held 0 or 1 h to explore the influence of cooking rate and holding time on beef flavor. Moisture, ash, pH, and heme–iron concentration were determined for each muscle. Trained sensory panels evaluated the steaks for tenderness, juiciness, connective tissue, and off-flavor intensity in addition to identifying specific off-flavors. Off-flavor intensity was lowest when beef was cooked slowly (on a 149 °C gas grill instead of a 249 °C grill) and when it was held for 1 h prior to sensory evaluation. The M. infraspinatus had the least intense off-flavor and the M. vastus intermedius had the most intense off-flavor. Slow cooking or holding for 1 h prior to consumption reduced the intensity of off-flavor in value cuts from the beef chuck and round while chemical characteristics did not contribute to off-flavor in this study.     

Trained sensory perception of pork eating quality as affected by fresh and cooked pork quality attributes and end-point cooked temperature

The present study evaluated individual and interactive influences of pork loin (n = 679) ultimate ph (pH), intramuscular fat (IMF), Minolta L∗ color (L∗), Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and internal cooked temperatures (62.8 °C, 68.3 °C, 73.9 °C, and 79.4 °C) on trained sensory perception of palatability. Logistical regression analyses were used, fitting sensory responses as dependent variables and quality and cooked temperature as independent variables, testing quadratic and interactive effects. Incremental increases in cooked temperature reduced sensory juiciness and tenderness scores by 3.8% and 0.9%, respectively, but did not influence sensory flavor or saltiness scores. An increase of 4.9 N in WBSF, from a base of 14.7 N (lowest) to 58.8 N (greatest) was associated with a 3.7% and 1.8% reduction in sensory tenderness and juiciness scores, respectively, with predicted sensory tenderness scores reduced by 3.55 units when comparing ends of the WBSF range. Modeled sensory responses for loins with pH of 5.40 and 5.60 had reduced tenderness, chewiness, and fat flavor ratings when compared with responses for loins with pH of 5.80 to 6.40, the range indicative of optimal sensory response. Loin IMF and L∗ were significant model effects; however, their influence on sensory attributes was small, with predicted mean sensory responses measurably improved only when comparing 6% and 1% IMF and L∗ values of 46.9 (dark) when compared with 65.0 (pale). Tenderness and juiciness scores, were related to a greater extent to loin WBSF and pH, and to a lesser extent to cooked temperature, IMF and L∗.     

Evaluation of Poultry Protein Isolate as a Food Ingredient: Physicochemical Properties and Sensory Characteristics of Marinated Chicken Breasts

The possibilities of replacing soy protein isolate (SPI) and reducing the amount of phosphate in marinated chicken breasts using poultry protein isolate (PPI) were investigated. PPI, prepared from mechanically separated turkey meat through the pH‐shift technology, was used as a marinade ingredient for chicken breasts at 2 different concentrations (1.0% and 1.5%, w/w on a dry weight basis). Product characteristics were compared to samples marinated with salt, phosphate, or SPI. All the 5 treatments were subjected to instrumental and sensory analyses. Tumbling yield, drip, and cooking losses as well as expressible moisture showed that PPI can be used as a substitute for SPI in brine. The sensory analysis revealed that there were no differences among treatments in terms of appearance, color, flavor, saltiness, juiciness, tenderness, and overall acceptability of the marinated chicken breasts. However, chicken breasts marinated with phosphate had significantly higher aroma acceptability scores than those treated with 1% PPI.     

Effects of fibre type and kefir, wine lemon, and pineapple marinades on texture and sensory properties of wild boar and deer longissimus muscle

Fibre type percentage and changes in textural parameters, sensory properties as well as mean fibre cross sectional area (CSA), fibre shape, endomysium and perimysium thickness of wild boar and deer longissimus (L) muscle subjected to ageing with kefir, dry red wine, lemon and pineapple juice marinades for 4days were studied. Among the non-marinated and non-aged samples of muscles it was found that wild boar meat with its higher percentage of red fibres, higher CSA, thicker connective tissue as compared with deer meat, was harder, more springy and stringy. Muscles ageing, regardless of methods, resulted in a decrease in both the CSA and thickness of the connective tissue, and improve in fibre shape. As a consequence ageing caused a reduction in hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and stringiness as well as in augmentation of tenderness, juiciness and general attractiveness of the muscles studied. As demonstrated by obtained data, regardless of ageing methods, deer L muscle contained more white fibres compared to wild boar muscle, were more susceptible to tenderization. The highest structural and textural changes, but the worst general attractiveness was found in muscles marinated with pineapple juice addition. Insignificantly lower changes in both quality traits were found in muscles aged with kefir marinade which at the same time were characterized by the high tenderness, the highest juiciness and general attractiveness.     

Effects of electrical stimulation, chilling temperature and hot-boning on the tenderness of bovine muscles

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of hot-boning, low voltage electrical stimulation (ES) and chilling temperature on the tenderness of bovine M. longissimus dorsi (LD) and M. semimembranosus (SM) muscles. LD (n=32) and SM (n=32) muscles were subjected to different post-mortem treatments; hot-boning (before 90min post-mortem), cold-boning (at 48h post-mortem), low voltage ES and rapid or slow chilling. Hot-boned muscles which were not electrically stimulated (NES) had higher Warner Bratzler shear force (WBSF) values (P<0.001) and shorter sarcomeres (P<0.001) than cold-boned muscles. Hot-boned muscles subjected to ES had lower pH values (P<0.001) post-stimulation and up to 8h post-mortem than NES muscles. At both chilling temperatures WBSF values were lower in ES hot-boned LD and SM muscles at days 2, 7 and 14 post-mortem than NES muscles. Hot-boned muscles subjected to slow chilling had longer sarcomeres (P<0.001) than those subjected to fast chilling. In hot-boned SM muscles, ES resulted in longer sarcomere lengths (P<0.001). However, ES did not have a significant effect on the sarcomere length of LD muscles. As indicated by WBSF values all muscles tenderised during ageing, including muscles which were 'cold shortened'. Proteolysis was not the main reason for differences in WBSF values between ES and NES muscles as judged by qualitative sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). A combination of slow chilling and ES had a positive effect on hot-boned muscles with respect to WBSF values.     

Characterization of beef semimembranosus and adductor muscles from US and Mexican origin

The purpose of this study was to compare the chemical composition and sensory characteristics of two beef muscles (semimembranosus, SM and adductor, AD) from the inside round of Mexican and US origins. Inside rounds were obtained from 20 Mexican bull carcasses, representing beef of Mexican origin. Forty-vacuum packaged USDA Choice and Select inside rounds were purchased from a local trader, representing US beef. Muscles were analyzed for chemical composition, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), cooking loss percentage, instrumental color, textural profile, and consumer acceptability. Muscles imported from the US contained more intramuscular fat, had higher cooking loss percentages, lower shear force values, and higher consumer ratings for overall desirability than Mexican counterparts (P<0.05). Choice and Select beef samples had similar WBSF values (P>0.05). Consumers found differences in juiciness and tenderness ratings between the two muscles, with the SM being tougher and less juicy than the AD (P<0.05).     

Effects of supplementing feedlot steers and heifers with zilpaterol hydrochloride on Warner–Bratzler shear force interrelationships of steer and heifer longissimus lumborum and heifer triceps brachii and gluteus medius muscles aged for 7, 14 and 21 d

Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscles from 117 steers plus LL, gluteus medius (GM), and triceps brachii (TB) muscles from 132 heifers were evaluated for effects of feeding duration of zilpaterol hydrochloride (Zilmax®; ZH; 7.56 g/907 kg on a dry matter basis) and aging time on tenderness. Both genders were blocked by initial weight into six blocks of four pens. Pens were assigned to treatments of control (C), or 20, 30 or 40 days on ZH, with a 3 day withdrawal. Steaks from each subprimal were vacuum aged individually for 7, 14 or 21 days, frozen, thawed, and cooked to 71 °C for Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF). All muscles from steers and heifers from ZH30 and ZH40 treatments had higher (P < 0.05) WBSF than those of C. The WBSF of steer LL and heifer TB from the ZH20 treatment was higher (P < 0.05) than C. There was a treatment by aging interaction (P > 0.05) for WBSF of GM steaks from heifers. Percentage of intramuscular fat had little effect on tenderness. Percentages of steer LL and heifer TB steaks with WBSF values below thresholds of either 5.0 or 4.6 kg from the ZH20 treatment were quite high, whereas percentages of heifer LL and GM muscles below 5.0 kg (67%) and 4.6 kg (57%) were low. Feeding ZH ? 20 days generally increased WBSF values, but mean WBSF values for steer LL and heifer TB were below 4.6 kg. Feeding ZH 20 ? days resulted in >40% of GM steaks with WBSF values above 4.6 kg.     

Effects of Oregano Oil Brine Enhancement on Quality Attributes of Beef Longissimus dorsi and Semimembranosus Muscles from Various Age Animals

ABSTRACT: The study reports whether or not oregano oil can reduce lipid oxidation and evaluate palatability variations in beef longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus muscles from various age animals (approximately 18 mo; 18 M, 30 to 60 mo; 30 M, and >60 mo; 60 M). Six muscles of each age group were halved and enhanced with a control brine containing no antioxidants (CN) or a brine containing oregano oil (OR), cut into steaks, and stored in modified atmosphere packaging for 0, 4, 7, and 11 d. Each sampling day, surface color (Minolta L*, a*, b*), lipid oxidation (TBARS), cook yield, sensory analysis, and Warner–Bratzler shear force (WBSF) were measured. OR enhancement decreased TBARS values and slowed the rate of decline in a* values (P < 0.05), but had no effect on WBSF, or sensory tenderness and juiciness scores (P > 0.05) compared to CN steaks. OR steaks had less rancidity detection, more off-flavor, lower overall acceptability in sensory analysis (P < 0.05). This indicated oregano oil can effectively reduce lipid oxidation and extend shelf-life of meat products, but further investigation would be needed to avoid off-flavor and acceptability of product quality. Practical Application: Decreases in meat consumption have led the meat industry to become more innovative in product development. Reducing lipid oxidation is a viable method to reduce rancidity, and improving product acceptability. Our research indicated that although oregano oil did reduce lipid oxidation, the adverse effects of flavor were too great, and thus would not be tolerable in fresh meat products at this concentration. However, there is potential to use oregano oil at lower concentrations and in a variety of processed products which could be beneficial to further the use of natural antioxidants.     

Effects of fibre type and kefir,wine lemon,and pineapple marinades on texture and sensory properties of wild boar and deer longissimus muscle

Fibre type percentage and changes in textural parameters, sensory properties as well as mean fibre cross sectional area (CSA), fibre shape, endomysium and perimysium thickness of wild boar and deer longissimus (L) muscle subjected to ageing with kefir, dry red wine, lemon and pineapple juice marinades for 4 days were studied. Among the non-marinated and non-aged samples of muscles it was found that wild boar meat with its higher percentage of red fibres, higher CSA, thicker connective tissue as compared with deer meat, was harder, more springy and stringy.Muscles ageing, regardless of methods, resulted in a decrease in both the CSA and thickness of the connective tissue, and improve in fibre shape. As a consequence ageing caused a reduction in hardness, cohesiveness, springiness, and stringiness as well as in augmentation of tenderness, juiciness and general attractiveness of the muscles studied.As demonstrated by obtained data, regardless of ageing methods, deer L muscle contained more white fibres compared to wild boar muscle, were more susceptible to tenderization. The highest structural and textural changes, but the worst general attractiveness was found in muscles marinated with pineapple juice addition. Insignificantly lower changes in both quality traits were found in muscles aged with kefir marinade which at the same time were characterized by the high tenderness, the highest juiciness and general attractiveness.     

Quality changes in beef complexus, serratus ventralis, vastus lateralis, vastus medialis, and longissimus dorsi muscles enhanced prior to aging

ABSTRACT:  Beef complexus (chuck), serratus ventralis (chuck), vastus lateralis (round), vatsus medialis (round), and longissimus dorsi (loin) muscles were enhanced (0.3% salt, 0.4% phosphate), vacuum packaged, and aged for 7 or 14 d. Enhancement increased positive sensory attributes (tenderness, juiciness, beef flavor, saltiness) and decreased negative attributes (off-flavors) of all muscles but had greater effects on some than on others. It increased the oily mouthfeel (10%) and saltiness (40%) and decreased the L * value and chroma of the complexus (chuck). It increased tenderness, juiciness, and beef flavor and decreased off-flavors, visual red and brown colors, shear value, and cook loss of the serratus ventrali (chuck) , vastus lateralis (round), vastus medialis (round), and longissiumus dorsi (loin). Aging slightly decreased rancid and liver off-flavor scores, visual brown color, and shear value and increased the hue angle and L * and b * values.     

Physical and Compositional Characteristics of Beef Carcasses Selected for Leanness

Ten muscles and muscle groups were excised from each of eight typical (average yield grade 2.99) and eight lean (average yield grade 1.73) steer carcasses and analyzed to determine differences between carcass types. Lean carcasses (raw basis) were higher (P<0.05) in moisture and protein and lower (P<0.05) in fat, cholesterol and calories in comparison to typical carcasses. Typical carcasses (cooked basis) were higher (P<0.05) in fat and caloric content than lean carcasses. No differences (P>0.05) were found between carcass types (cooked basis) for moisture, protein, cholesterol, dry matter cholesterol, cooking loss or shear force value. Semitendinosus muscles from typical carcasses were rated higher (P<0.05) for juiciness and tenderness than from lean carcasses. Differences (P<0.05) were found among muscles for all traits measured.     

EVALUATION OF DUCKLING BREAST MEAT SUBJECTED TO DIFFERENT METHODS OF FURTHER PROCESSING AND COOKING

Breast fillets (128 total) deboned from commercially processed 7-week-old Pekin ducklings were subjected to one of four tenderization treatments: control, mechanically tenderized, marinated, or tenderized and marinated, and one of two cooking methods, oven-baked or gourmet-cooked. Treatments were evaluated for cooked yield and tenderness. Mechanical tenderization resulted in the lowest cooked yield, 60.0%, followed by the control, 64.5%. Mechanical tenderization and the control treatment were not significantly different for shear, with an average of 7.0 kg shear/g sample. Marination, with or without mechanical tenderization, resulted in signficantly greater cooked yield, 72.6 and 72.9 % respectively, and more tender meat, 4.9 and 5.1 kg shear/g meat respectively. Oven baking resulted in a signficantly greater cooked yield than gourmet cooking. Results indicate that marination, with or without mechanical tenderization, can significantly improve the cooked yield and tenderness of duckling breast fillets.     

Consumer Assessment of Beef Tenderloin Steaks from Various USDA Quality Grades at 3 Degrees of Doneness

A consumer study was conducted to determine palatability ratings of beef tenderloin steaks from USDA Choice, USDA Select, and USDA Select with marbling scores from Slight 50 to 100 (USDA High Select) cooked to various degrees of doneness. Steaks were randomly assigned to 1 of 3 degree of doneness categories: very‐rare, medium‐rare, or well‐done. Consumers (N = 315) were screened for preference of degree of doneness and fed 4 samples of their preferred doneness (a warm‐up and one from each USDA quality grade treatment in a random order). Consumers evaluated steaks on an 8‐point verbally anchored hedonic scale for tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and overall like as well as rated steaks as acceptable or unacceptable for all palatability traits. Quality grade had no effect (P > 0.05) on consumer ratings for tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and overall like scores, with all traits averaging above a 7 (“like very much”) on the 8‐point scale. In addition, no differences (P > 0.05) were found in the percentage of samples rated as acceptable for all palatability traits, with more than 94% of samples rated acceptable for each trait in all quality grades evaluated. Steaks cooked to well‐done had lower (P < 0.05) juiciness scores than steaks cooked to very‐rare or medium‐rare and were rated lower for tenderness (P < 0.05) than steaks cooked to a very‐rare degree of doneness. Results indicate consumers were not able to detect differences in tenderness, juiciness, flavor, or overall like among beef tenderloin steaks from USDA Choice and Select quality grades.     

SENSORY EVALUATION OF DRIED BEEF STRIPS TREATED WITH ACETIC ACID OR BRINE AND MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE

Loss of characteristic meat flavor in dried beef, because of biochemical degradation of flavor-enhancing nucleotides, raises concern over the taste of meat products made in the home. Preservation effects on beef taste, using acetic acid and brine followed by dehydration were studied. Monosodium glutamate was added to the dried strips prior to cooking. The beefsteaks were subjected to three treatments: acetic acid, brine, while the control was untreated fresh beef. The samples were cut into strips then dried in a solar drier and an oven. Sensory attributes were evaluated for tenderness, juiciness, color, flavor and overall acceptability by an untrained sensory panel. Acetic acid, brine and control treatments were significantly different ( P <  0.05) from fresh beef in tenderness, juiciness and color. Cooked beef flavor comparisons indicated that brine was better ( P <  0.05) than acetic acid. Addition of monosodium glutamate to dried products significantly ( P <  0.05) improved cooked beef flavor and acceptability.

PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS

This is a low-cost method of meat preservation, and it is an appropriate technology that can be adopted in the arid and semi-arid areas of developing countries, because of its economic and nutritional implication. In these areas, meat production from small and large animals is the cornerstone of economic development and proper nutrition. These areas lack both refrigeration (the conventional method of meat preservation) and appropriate and affordable meat preservation technologies, making it impossible for the communities to utilize and market meat from their livestock profitably without sustaining high losses because of spoilage.     

Cooking Temperature, Bird Type, and Muscle Origin Effects on Sensory Properties of Broiled Emu Steaks

Trained sensory panel scores and Warner-Bratzler shear values (WBS) of emu meat cooked to three end-point temperatures (60, 66, and 75°C), obtained from two bird types (breeder quality, BQ; and nonbreeder quality, NBQ), and from five carcass locations were determined and compared in three studies. NBQ birds had obvious conformational defects. Full rumps and inside drums broiled to 60°C were more tender and juicy than those broiled to 66 or 75°C (P<0.05). Cooking temperature did not affect meat-flavor intensity (p>0.05). BQ vs NBQ sources had no effect on tenderness or juiciness (p>0.05). Differences in tenderness, juiciness, meat-flavor intensity and WBS were found among the five meat cuts (P<0.05).     

Effects of moisture enhancement, enzyme treatment, and blade tenderization on the processing characteristics and tenderness of beef semimembranosus steaks

The individual and combined effects of moisture enhancement with a salt/phosphate solution (ME), blade tenderization (BT), and enzyme injection with proteinases derived from Aspergillus oryzae or Bacillus subtilis on cooking properties, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and sensory characteristics of beef semimembranosus were investigated. ME significantly (P < 0.01) reduced WBSF and increased (P < 0.05) sensory scores for juiciness and tenderness. BT increased (P < 0.05) initial and overall tenderness scores and made connective tissue less perceptible. BT combined with ME resulted in the highest initial and overall tenderness scores, however, combining ME with either proteinase was as effective for reducing WBSF and increasing tenderness, particularly at 20 (vs. 10) ppm enzyme inclusion. Tenderness of enzyme-injected steaks was increased without compromising other palatability attributes. All treatments increased the frequency of steaks rated slightly tender or higher, with the ME+BT combination, or ME with inclusion of 20 ppm of either proteinase, being most effective.     

Influence of cooking conditions on cooking loss and tenderness of raw and marinated chicken breast meat

The influence of different cooking treatments on tenderness and cooking loss, as main quality characteristics of chicken breast meat, was investigated. Industrial skinless chicken breast meat samples were designated as raw and marinated and cooked in the oven by hot air and hot air-steam mixture at 130, 150 and 170 °C, for 4, 8 and 12 min. Cooking losses were evaluated by weight changes before and after cooking, and tenderness changes were determined on cooked samples by measuring shear force using instrumental texture analysis. Results showed that marination, followed by air-steam cooking is the best combination to obtain the most tender chicken breast slices. The time and temperature of cooking showed similar effects on cooking loss and tenderness: short cooking time (4 min) and temperatures of 130–150 °C resulted in lower cooking losses and best meat tenderness, in both not marinated and marinated meat. Statistically significant correlations between tenderness and cooking loss indicated that the cooking loss correlated better with cooking time than with cooking temperature. An opposite phenomenon was observed for meat tenderness.