TENDERNESS OF PRERIGOR STRETCHED PORCINE LONGISSIMUS MUSCLE

Bone and connective tissues at the 14th thoracic vertebra of one randomly selected side of each of six pork carcasses were cut 90 min postmortem by the Tendercut^TMprocedure, while companion sides served as controls. Carcasses were suspended from the hock tendon and chilled for 24 h. The Longissimus muscle (LM) was removed between the 9th thoracic and 4th lumbar vertebra and divided into three equal sections (locations 1, 2, 3; anterior to posterior) to determine the effect of Tendercut on Warner-Bratzler and Lee-Kramer peak force, sarcomere length, fat and moisture content. Tendercut resulted in lower (P < 0.05) Warner-Bratzler peak force, Lee-Kramer peak force and total energy in all locations within the LM. The average decrease was 14.2% for Warner-Bratzler peak, force and 14.5% and 16.2% for Lee-Kramer peak force and total energy, respectively. The Tendercut treatment also resulted in longer (P < 0.05) sarcomere lengths in all locations within the LM, with an average increase of 19%.