REDUCING POSTMORTEM AGING TIME OF BEEF WITH ELECTRICAL-STIMULATION
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Two studies (Study 1 = 23 foragefed steers; Study 2 = 20 grainfed steers and heifers) were conducted to determine relationships of electrical stimulation (ES) and/or postmortem aging (PA) to tenderness of beef. For Study 1, steaks from ES sides had lower (P < 0.05) WarnerBratzler shear (WBS) values than steaks from notES sides for each PA period. In addition, the percentage reduction in WBS values was greater for the steaks from the ESDay 2 group (29.5%) than for steaks from even the longest PA period (14 days) from the notES group (25.8%). For Study 2, during the fist three PA periods (1, 2 and 5 days), ES resulted in more desirable (P < 0.05) flavor ratings (Day l), higher (P < 0.05) tenderness ratings and lower (P < 0.05) WBS values (Day 1, 2, 5) and more desirable (P < 0.05) overall palatability ratings (Day 1, 2). During the last three PA periods (8, 11 and 14 days), ES resulted in higher (P < 0.05) tenderness ratings (Day 8), lower (P < 0.05) juiciness ratings (Day 11, 14) and lower (P < 0.05) WBS values (Day 8). Based on these results, ES had the greatest impact on beef palatability if the period of aging was 8 days or less; with additional aging time, ES effects on palatability were negated. When each treatment (ES, notES) was divided into two groups based on median tenderness ratings for the notES group, ES had the greatest impact on those carcasses in the tough group while ES had little impact on those carcasses in the tender group. ES will accelerate the postmortem aging of beef but the aging time reduction and extent of ultimate tenderization appears to be affected by the inherent tenderness of the beef. Copyright 1981, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved
