RETAIL APPEARANCE OF ELECTRICALLY STIMULATED BEEF

Top round steaks (adductor) and ground beef from the top round were obtained from both sides of ten U.S. Choice carcasses. Left sides were electrically stimulated (ES) with 17 impulses (1.8 set duration, 1.8 set interval) of 550 volts of alternating current at 5 amps. Steaks and ground beef from top rounds from nonstimulated right sides served as control (CON) samples. Steaks and ground beef were displayed under simulated retail conditions for 4 and 3 days, respectively. Steaks were weighed prior to and at the termination of the display interval to determine percentage weight loss. Samples for microbiological evaluation were obtained prior to and at the termination of the display interval. No significant differences were observed for muscle color, surface discoloration or overall appearance for samples of ground beef at any retail display interval. With one exception, muscle color was brighter and surface discoloration was reduced for round steaks from ES sides. Few significant differences in overall appearance were observed between ES and CON samples during the display period. No significant differences between ES and CON samples were observed for bacterial counts either initially or at the termination of the display period for either steaks or ground beef samples. Percentage weight loss was not significantly different between ES and CON steaks. These data suggest that electrical stimulation may enhance, and certainly does not detract from, the appearance of round steaks displayed under retail market conditions.