Mapping intramuscular tenderness variation in four major muscles of the beef round.

The objective of this study was to quantify intramuscular tenderness variation within four muscles from the beef round: biceps femoris (BF), semitendinosus (ST), semimembranosus (SM), and adductor (AD). At 48 h postmortem, the BF, ST, SM, and AD were dissected from either the left or right side of ten carcasses, vacuum packaged, and aged for an additional 8 d. Each muscle was then frozen and cut into 2.54-cm-thick steaks perpendicular to the long axis of the muscle. Steaks were broiled on electric broilers to an internal temperature of 71 degrees C. Location-specific cores were obtained from each cooked steak, and Warner-Bratzler shear force was evaluated. Definable intramuscular shear force variation (SD = 0.56 kg) was almost twice as large as between-animal shear force variation (SD = 0.29 kg) and 2.8 times as large as between-muscle variation (SD = 0.20 kg). The ranking of muscles from greatest to least definable intramuscular shear force variation was BF, SM, ST, and AD (SD = 1.09, 0.72, 0.29, and 0.15 kg, respectively). The BF had its lowest shear force values at the origin (sirloin end), intermediate shear force values at the insertion, and its highest shear force values in a middle region 7 to 10 cm posterior to the sirloin-round break point (P < 0.05). The BF had lower shear force values toward the ST side than toward the vastus lateralis side (P < 0.05). The ST had its lowest shear force values in a 10-cm region in the middle, and its highest shear force values toward each end (P < 0.05). The SM had its lowest shear force values in the first 10-cm from the ischial end (origin), and its highest shear force values in a 13-cm region at the insertion end (P < 0.05). Generally, shear force was lower toward the superficial (medial) side than toward the deep side of the SM (P < 0.05). There were no intramuscular differences in shear force values within the AD (P > 0.05). These data indicate that definable intramuscular tenderness variation is substantial and could be used to develop alternative fabrication and(or) merchandising methods for beef round muscles.

Evaluating the point of separation, during carcass fabrication, between the beef wholesale rib and the beef wholesale chuck.

This study determined whether there is a logical point of value change, related to either tenderness or consumer acceptance, at which to separate the beef carcass within the rib/chuck region. Rib/chuck rolls (RCR); (n = 30) consisting of the ribeye roll and chuck eye roll subprimals (2nd through 12th rib locations) were cut into 22 steaks each (two steaks per rib location), and Warner-Bratzler shear force and consumer purchase preference were evaluated for steaks at each rib location. Steaks from different locations of the RCR were composed of differing proportions of several muscles: longissimus muscle (LM), spinalis dorsi and multifidus dorsi (SM), and complexus (CO). The LM (4th to 12th rib) contained three tenderness regions: 7th through 12th rib, 5th and 6th ribs, and 4th rib regions (lowest, intermediate, and highest shear force values, respectively; P < 0.01). Shear force differed (P < 0.05) among rib locations for the SM (2nd to 9th rib), but no logical pattern was evident. The CO (2nd to 7th rib) was more tender toward the anterior end (P < 0.05). The region of the RCR represented by the 4th through 6th rib locations had steaks with higher weighted-average shear force (average shear force of each steak, weighted for surface area of each muscle) values than the remainder of the RCR (P < 0.05). Animal-to-animal variation in shear force was 36% greater than rib-to-rib variation in shear force; thus, statistically significant differences in tenderness among rib locations may be undetectable by consumers. Steaks (n = 330) were offered for sale at a retail supermarket and case time was monitored on each steak to determine consumer purchase preference. Steaks from the 2nd through 4th rib locations required more time to sell (P < 0.01) than steaks from the 5th through 12th rib locations. Two alternative locations for the rib/chuck separation point could be between the 6th and 7th ribs, yielding a ribeye subprimal useful in marketing a "premium quality" product, or between the 4th and 5th ribs, which would yield four more 2.5-cm ribeye steaks per carcass.

Increasing tenderness of beef round and sirloin muscles through prerigor skeletal separations.

Crossbred steers (n = 30) were used to explore and compare tenderness improvements in beef round and sirloin muscles resulting from various methods of prerigor skeletal separations. Animals were slaughtered according to industry procedures, and at 60 min postmortem one of six treatments was applied to each side: A) control, B) saw pelvis at the sirloin-round junction, C) separate the pelvic-femur joint, D) saw femur at mid-point, E) combination of B and C, and F) combination of B and D. After 48 h, the following muscles were excised from each side: semimembranosus, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and adductor from the round; vastus lateralis and rectus femoris from the knuckle; and gluteus medius, biceps femoris and psoas major from the sirloin. Following a 10-d aging period, samples were removed from each muscle to determine the effect of treatment on sarcomere length and Warner-Bratzler shear force. Most skeletal separation treatments resulted in longer sarcomeres than controls for semimembranosus, adductor, semitendinosus, and gluteus medius muscles. All skeletal separation treatments yielded shorter sarcomeres for the psoas major as compared with controls. Warner-Bratzler shear force differed among treatments for rectus femoris, semitendinosus, and psoas major. For rectus femoris, treatments C, D, E, and F resulted in lower (P < 0.05) shear values than for controls. Treatments B, D, and F increased shear force of the semitendinosus relative to controls (P < 0.05) within muscle. Treatment F resulted in higher shear force values for the PM than controls (P < 0.05). Correlations between sarcomere length and shear force were found to be low and quite variable among muscles. In general, treatments increased sarcomere length of several muscles from the sirloin/round region, but had mixed effects on shear force values.