Aleksandra Kwiatkowska

The effect of muscle, cooking method and final internal temperature on quality parameters of beef roast

The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of cooking conditions (dry air and steam) and final internal temperature (75, 85, 95°C) on the physico-chemical properties of beef infraspinatus (INF) and semimembranosus (SEM) muscles as well as their tenderness and juiciness. Cooking method and temperature influenced moisture, total collagen content in cooked meat and cooking loss, whereas muscle type affected fat, total collagen content and cooking loss. Warner-Bratzler shear force values were affected by cooking method, which also influenced juiciness of roasts. Temperature affected tenderness and juiciness, whereas muscle type influenced juiciness. The most desirable tenderness had INF heated in steam and dry air to 95°C. Processing SEM in dry air to 85 and 95°C lowered the juiciness of the roasts. There were significant correlations between physico-chemical, sensorial and image attributes, however high accuracy of prediction (r(2)>0.8) was achieved only for SEM muscle.

The composition and properties of beaver (Castor fiber) meat

We analyzed the meat composition of ten females and seven males of sexually mature European beavers (Castor fiber L.). Cutting yield, percentage of particular elements, and chemical composition of the meat were determined. On average, a beaver carcass constitutes 48.6% of beaver body mass and contains 62.8% of meat, 14.5% of fat and 22.4% of bones. The thigh was found to be the largest and most valuable element constituting 33.4% of carcass weight and containing 66.7% of meat. Beaver meat has a high concentration of protein (20.9–21.8% wet wt.) and minerals (1.27–1.31%). The fat was characterized by a high proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (48.0–53.1%).

The influence of crossbreeding on collagen solubility and tenderness of Infraspinatus and Semimembranosus muscles of semi-intensively reared young bulls

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of crossbreeding on collagen content and solubility, shear force (WBSF) and the eating quality of Infraspinatus (INF) and Semimembranosus (SM) muscles of young bulls and the relationships between collagen content and solubility, shear force and the eating quality of beef. The experimental material comprised muscles of crossbred young bulls (about 600 days old) of Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF) × Limousine (LM) (n = 10), PHF × Charolaise (CH) (n = 9), PHF × Hereford (HER) (n = 9) breeds. The crossbreeding influenced WBSF, aroma and taste, total, water-soluble, acid-soluble, total soluble and insoluble collagen content, as well as the acid-soluble, total soluble and insoluble collagen proportions. WBSF was significantly negatively correlated with sensorial tenderness and water-soluble collagen content. The eating quality of beef obtained from different crossbreds was similar; however, the meat from PHF × LM and PHF × HER bulls had lower WBSF values than PHF × CH bulls.