Use of Mechanical Tenderization to Increase the Tenderness of Bullock Beef1

The biceps femoris (BF), semimembranosus (SM) and longissimus dorsi (LD) muscles from bullocks and steers were passed through a mechnical tenderizer zero (OX), once (1X), twice (2X) or three times (3X). All three muscles were evaluated for cooking loss, cooking time and textural properties on an Instron Universal Testing machine. In addition, LD muscle steaks were presented to a sensory panel for evaluation. The passing of the SM and LD muscles through a mechanical tenderizer one or two times decreased peak load and fail energy and increased peak elongation and fail load values. LD steaks from bullocks not passed through the mechanical tenderizer (OX) were least esy to fragment, had the most detectable connective tissue and had lowest overall tenderness ratings. Passing bullock beef once (1X) through a mechanical tenderizer improved palatability ratings to a level comparable to untenderized steer beef.