An assortment of 1,551 retail cuts were purchased from eleven cities across the United States to study their physical and chemical composition. Information with regard to external fat thickness, package weight, price per kilogram, and total package price were collected at the retail store. Cuts were purchased and later dissected into four different separable components, separable lean, external fat (carcass and cut), seam (intermuscular) fat, and bone and heavy connective tissue. Chemical fat analyses were conducted on the separable lean component of each dissected cut. Dissection data showed that cuts originating from the round had the highest means for separable lean percentages, resulting in the lowest means for separable fat percentages. Cuts from the rib were found to have the highest separable fat percentage means, thus the lowest separable lean percentage means. Chemical fat data mirrored dissection data, with round cuts having the lowest means for percent extractable fat for the separable lean (only) and rib cuts producing the highest means. In general, ground beef packages had a lower percentage of extractable fat than the fat percentage that was declared on the retail package label. This study was designed to acquire data on cuts presently available at the retail level and compare their composition to data presented in the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. It must be noted that separable fat percentages are not available for many of cuts sampled for this survey. Additionally, data reported in the Nutrient Database encompasses only retail cuts trimmed to 1.25 cm, 0.6 cm, 0.3 cm, and 0.0 cm. Cuts from this study consistently had fat thickness measurements between 0.0 cm and 0.3 cm; thus, there is no nutritional information in the Nutrient Database for beef cuts trimmed to these levels.

Biomechanical compression studies at different temperatures were conducted to correlate the biomechanical response of raw bovine Longissimus dorsi muscles varying in USDA Quality Grade with overall sensory tenderness scores. Phase 1 assessed the biomechanical properties of raw 2.54 cm3 samples obtained with a Texture Analyzer fitted with a 10 cm diameter platen which applied a constant strain of 3% for four minutes. Muscle specimens were arranged with fibers in parallel and perpendicular orientations to the applied force and tested at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10°C. Initial stiffness, final stiffness and energy dissipated of raw steak cubes with fiber orientation in parallel and perpendicular fiber orientations were calculated using the models and technique of Spadaro (1996) and correlated to overall sensory tenderness scores for each compression temperature. All compression values had higher correlation coefficients with overall sensory tenderness than did Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF). Of the prediction equations developed, it was concluded that samples compressed perpendicularly at 2ºC were better predictors of overall sensory tenderness (R2 = 0.77) than WBSF (R2 = 0.11). Phase 2 assessed the biomechanical properties of raw steaks (2.54 cm thick) using a 2 mm diameter stainless steel probe in lieu of the platen and compressing samples 0.635 cm for 0.25 sec at -6.6, 4.4 or 10°C. Initial stiffness (ISTFPR), final stiffness (FSTFPR) and energy dissipated (EDPR) of raw intact steaks were calculated using a modification of the models and technique of Spadaro (1996) and correlated to overall sensory tenderness scores for each compression temperature. ISTFPR, FSTPF and EDPR values regressed against overall sensory tenderness produced higher R-square values (R2 = 0.71 at 4.4ºC and R2 = 0.70 at 10ºC) than prediction equations using WBSF (R2 = 0.65). The significance of this study was that sensory tenderness could be predicted rapidly and more accurately on intact raw loin samples using a nondestructive probe measurement than could be predicted with WBSF. This innovative technique could potentially be used as a selection tool to ensure beef tenderness, be integrated into an on-line USDA Quality Grading system and be utilized as a powerful non-destructive research technique.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the use of preblended, prerigor beef in reduced salt meat batters. The functional properties of water-holding capacity, fat binding and gel strength were evaluated. Proximate analyses (protein, moisture and fat contents) of all cooked samples were performed, in duplicate. The sternomandibularis muscle (SM) was removed from the right side of each of fifteen steers within 1 hr after death. The control samples remained on the left side of each carcass for 48 hr at 2°C before removal. The muscles removed prerigor were preblended with four different levels of salt: 1.5, 2.25, 2.5, and 3.0%. The preblends and the postrigor SM were used to formulate batters with 1.5 or 2.5% salt. During preparation, the batters were chopped until a temperature of 16.0 +/- 0.5°C was reached, and the batter pH was adjusted to 5.8 with NaOH. Aliquots of batter were weighed into centrifuge tubes and cooked in a 70 - 75°C water bath for 30 min. Water-holding capacity was determined by weighing the amount of fluid lost during cooking. After the cooked batters had cooled, gel strength was evaluated with an Instron Universal Testing Machine using the penetration method with a cylindrical punch. The mean pH of the prerigor muscles (6.70) was significantly higher (p<0.01) than that of the control muscles (5.66). The proximate analysis results indicated no significant differences between treatments for the moisture and fat contents. The mean protein content of the 2.5% salt batter control treatment was significantly lower (p<0.05) at 11.13%, than the four prerigor, preblended treatments which ranged from 11.88 to 12.21%. The 1.5% salt batter control treatment had a mean cook loss of 9.75% and was significantly higher (p<0.05) than the other treatments which ranged from 4.55 to 6.93%. A red-colored cook loss fluid was observed in the prerigor, preblended 1.5% salt final batter treatments. This loss seemed to have no significant (p<0.05) effect on the functional properties of the batters studied. Fat release was negligible amounting to only a few droplets per treatment. The four preblended treatments had significantly stronger (p<0.05) gel strengths (0.88 - 0.97 lbs) than the two postrigor control treatments (0.67, 0.69 lbs). Gel strength seemed to be more dependent on the state of rigor when salt was added than on the amount of salt added. The evidence indicates that it is possible to make an acceptable reduced salt product using prerigor, preblended beef. / Graduation date: 1990

Graduation date: 1971

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2006. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Thesis (M. Ec. 1975) from the Department of Economics, University of Adelaide.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2008. / Title from title screen (site viewed Mar. 5, 2009). PDF text: 205 p. : col. ill. ; 5 Mb. UMI publication number: AAT 3336551. Includes bibliographical references. Also available in microfilm and microfiche formats.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1962. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 111-118).

Thesis (M. Agr. Sc.) -- Lincoln University, 2008. / Also available via the World Wide Web.