EFFECTS OF A LOW-VOLTAGE RECTAL ELECTRODE SYSTEM ON BEEF QUALITY FROM YOUNG AND MATURE COWS

Abstract

The quality characteristics of biceps femoris (BF), longissimus (L) and pectoralis profundis (PP) roasts obtained from young and mature cow carcasses subjected to low voltage (110 V) electrical stimulation (ES) were determined. ES was applied with a steel busbar rectal probe for 2 min. Evaluations were conducted on meat obtained from young control sides (no ES) aged 48 h, from young and mature sides (no ES) aged 6 d and from young and mature ES sides aged 48 h. ES caused a reduction (P < 0.001) in BF muscle pH at 1 and 4 h postmortem. Except for the pH differences in L muscle of young cows at 24 h, there were no differences in L muscle pH values due to ES for either young or mature cows. At 24 h, the pH of muscles from all carcasses was about 5.6. Cooking losses did not appear to be affected by either ES or increased aging in young control roasts. For both young and mature BF and L roasts, trained panelists generally did not detect significant effects due to ES. Except for differences in OTMS-Warner Bratzler shear values for mature PP samples, objective measurements for all roasts show no significant effects due to ES. Thus, no differences in cooking and eating quality of BF, L and PP roasts were found due to the application of low-voltage ES via the busbar rectal probe. Increasing postmortem aging time from 48 h to 6 d for young control carcasses did not influence roast quality. Animal maturity had some significant effects on the quality of all roasts. Key words: Low-voltage electrical stimulation, beef quality