The effects of carcass chilling and electrical stimulation on visual beef quality and palatability

Abstract

The conversion of muscle to meat during the rigor mortis process and the conditions under which this process occurs is most important for quality attributes of beef including colour, water holding capacity and tenderness. Electrical stimulation is used to prevent cold-induced toughening of beef, especially hot-boned meat, but is also generally applied because it is thought to enhance the ageing process and, therefore, improve tenderness of aged beef. However, indiscriminate use of electrical stimulation, combined with improper chilling, may have detrimental effects on tenderness, colour and water-holding capacity of meat. This chapter discusses the advantages of electrical stimulation and factors influencing the effectivity of electrical stimulation.