Pre-harvest and postmortem methods of decreasing the incidence and salvaging value of non-conforming beef carcasses
Date
2009
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Abstract
It has been stated that the number of non-conforming carcasses in the beef industry cost the industry millions of dollars yearly in lost revenue. The objectives of this research were to identify muscles in dark-cutting beef carcasses that were not affected by the dark-cutting condition, identify relationships between the portion size of individual muscles in the beef carcass and the carcass ribeye area, and finally to investigate the effects of dietary magnesium (Mg) supplementation on the quality characteristics of beef cattle subjected to stress-inducing environments. Carcasses in the dark cutter study were divided into three classes; 1/3, 1/2, and full degree of dark cutting (DEGDC). The ultimate pH of individual muscles within the carcasses resulted in 7, 9, and 5 muscles having mean pH values considered normal for 1/3, 1/2, and full DEGDC carcasses, respectively. A nation wide survey was conducted to identify the acceptable color range of fresh beef muscles for food service chefs and retail meat merchandisers. Muscles that were within an acceptable color value range for food service chefs and retail meat merchandiser had the potential to add up to $42.29 and $30.30 per side when valued at Choice prices compared to commodity discounted prices, respectively. The portion size study evaluated 14 muscles. Seven of the 14 muscles were found to have no relationship between individual muscle portion size and ribeye area. A nationwide survey was conducted with foodservice chefs and retail meat merchandisers to evaluate the acceptability of portion sizes from carcasses varying in ribeye area size. Results of the survey demonstrated that the portion size of many muscles were still acceptable to retail meat merchandisers and foodservice chefs even though the ribeye area of a carcass may be non-conforming. The study involving the Mg supplementation to beef cattle (N = 144) indicated that the Mg was taken up in the blood stream of the cattle fed the supplement, but no effect on tenderness or reduction of quality defects (e.g., dark cutting) were observed. The results of these studies demonstrate methods of returning value to non-conforming beef carcasses, however, other methods of preventing non-conformity are necessary to research.
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Subject
beef
beef carcass
cattle
dark-cutting
meat quality
nonconforming
agronomy
agriculture
animal sciences
food science