Elsevier

Meat Science

Volume 18, Issue 4, 1986, Pages 281-293
Meat Science

Effects of low-voltage electrical stimulation during exsanguination on meat quality and display colour stability

https://doi.org/10.1016/0309-1740(86)90018-5Get rights and content

Abstract

Five steers from each of four slaughter groups were randomly assigned to a low-voltage electrical stimulation (LVES) treatment during exsanguination (within 5 min after stunning) and five served as controls (C). LVES consisted of 50V of 60 Hz alternating current (1 s on and 1 s off for 2 min).

At 28 h, LVES longissimus (LM) was lighter in colour, softer, coarser in texture and tended to have lower marbling estimates than C. LVES LM steaks were lighter red at 0 and 1 days, but more discoloured at 5 days, of display than C steaks. Both the deep (DSM) and superficial (SSM) portions of LVES semimembranosus (SM) steaks were lighter red at 0 and 1 days of display than C steaks. Water-holding capacity for LVES LM and DSM steaks was lower than for C steaks. A trained sensory panel found LVES LM steaks to be less juicy and less tender than C steaks. Also, LVES LM steaks had greater cooking losses than C steaks in two of the four slaughter groups. We conclude that LVES during exsanguination, coupled with relatively slow initial chilling, may be detrimental to muscle quality.

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Contribution No. 86-392-J, Department of Animal Sciences and Industry, Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station, Manhattan 66506, USA.

Present address: Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman 99164-6310, USA.

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