Effects of Electrical Stimulation and Hot Boning on Functional Characteristics of Preblended Beef Muscle in Model Systems

Thirty beef carcasses were used to determine the effects of electrical stimulation (ES) and hot boning on the emulsifying capacity (EC) and thermal emulsion stability (TES) of preblended Triceps brachii (TB) muscle (long head) from sides assigned to one of four treatments: (1) conventionally boned after chilling at 2–8°C until 48 hr postmortem (CB); (2) hot boned at 1 hr postmortem (HB); (3) ES during bleeding and conventionally boned at 48 hr postmortem (ESCB); and (4) ES during bleeding and hot boned at 1 hr postmortem (ESHB). HB preblended samples had greater EC and TES values than CB preblended samples in both nonstimulated (P < 0.05) and stimulated carcasses. When compared to nonstimulated sides, ES decreased (P < 0.05) these values in both ESHB and ESCB sides.