Eugenio Miguel

A comparison between two methods (Warner–Bratzler and texture profile analysis) for testing either raw meat or cooked meat

Two methods for assessing texture characteristics of meat (Warner-Bratzler (WB) - and texture profile analysis (TPA)), both performed either on raw or on cooked meat, were tested in 96 samples of m. longissimus dorsi muscle of eight heifers and eight bulls, aged 1, 3 or 6 days post-mortem. A sensory analysis was also performed on 96 samples. Sensory variates were predicted by instrumental variates as follows: hardness was better predicted by TPA than by WB; springiness was only predicted by WB; juiciness was only significantly predicted by TPA; greasiness was always poorly predicted, but the prediction was better with TPA, and the number of chewings was also better predicted with TPA. Results suggested the convenience of performing a TPA for assessing meat texture as, in cooked meat, only TPA furnished highly significant correlations for hardness, for juiciness and for the number of chewings. Although WB could predict hardness and springiness, only the equation for the prediction of the number of chewings was useful (r(2)=0.171, P<0.004). It seems that texture parameters, assessed by a TPA and performed on cooked meat, are the best predictors of sensory texture in bovine meat.

Carcass classification in suckling lambs. II. Comparison among subjective carcass classification methods: fatness scales and conformation scales with 0.25 point-intervals.

Forty-nine Manchega breed suckling lambs were used. Carcass weight was less than 13 kg, and lambs were slaughtered at 10, 12 and 14 kg liveweight. Carcasses were classified by three assessors on colour photographs, by several classification methods: the European Union scale for light lambs carcasses (EU), Colomer-Rocher methods for fatness (CF) and conformation (CC), and the new scale for suckling lambs (SL) developed by our research group. Carcasses were also assessed using these scales divided into 0.25 point-intervals (EU-25, CF-25, CC-25 and SL-25). A correlation analysis was made between assessors score and tissue composition in the carcass and in three joints (leg, best end of neck and loin, and shoulder). For all the methods studied 0.25 point scales were best correlated to tissue composition than 1.0 points-interval scales. When 1.0 point-interval scales were used the SL scale was best correlated to tissue composition. When 0.25 point-scales were used, the EU scale gave the best correlations. Conformation scale (CC) was useful to predict carcass composition, specially kidney knob and channel fat content.

Methods of carcass classification based on subjective assessments of carcass fatness and of carcass conformation: effect of sex on the prediction of tissue composition in carcasses of sucking lambs

Forty-eight sucking lambs (26 males and 22 females) of the Manchega breed were used in this work. Lambs were slaughtered at 10, 12 and 14 kg live weight. Carcass degree of fatness was assessed by three assessors from colour photographs of the carcasses, using the European Union scale for light lambs (EU), the Colomer-Rocher method (CF) and another new scale developed by our group (sucking lambs scale, SL). Carcass conformation was assessed according to the Colomer-Rocher method (CC). Fatness and conformation scales were divided to give 0·25 points in each interval. Left half-carcasses were jointed and dissected into lean, fat and bone. Muscle proportion, bone proportion and whole fat proportion (obtained by addition of every fat depot: subcutaneous fat, intermuscular fat, inguinal fat and kidney knob and channel fat) were determined. Male and female carcasses showed a very different tissue composition: both groups had statistically significant differences ( P