Fragmentation of loin steaks from U.S. commercial and U.S. utility beef carcasses

Author

Chris Richard Calkins

Date of Award

8-1978

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Food Science and Technology

Major Professor

Gordon W. Davis

Committee Members

C. C. Melton, S. D. Cunningham, H. O. Jaynes

Abstract

Short loin steaks were removed from U. S. Commercial (n=38) and U. S. Utility (n=42) beef carcasses to facilitate study of cooked meat tenderness as related to certain raw muscle fragmentation measures, carcass traits and laboratory procedures. Carcass traits explained 14.1 percent of the variation in shear force value while all fragmentation measures accounted for 61.1 percent. Frozen fragmentation measures (R² X 100 = 58.1 percent) were superior to fresh fragmentation measures (R² X 100 = 37.3 percent). Results indicate that fresh or frozen fragmentation index of raw muscle is superior to selected carcass traits and/or laboratory assays. The best regression model (two fragmentation measures) accounted for 56.6 percent of the variation in tenderness.

Recommended Citation

Calkins, Chris Richard, "Fragmentation of loin steaks from U.S. commercial and U.S. utility beef carcasses. " Master's Thesis, University of Tennessee, 1978.
https://trace.tennessee.edu/utk_gradthes/7924