Easy Texture Analysis For Assessing Meat Tenderness

The quality of meat is determined by a number of factors that affect palatability (tenderness, juiciness and flavor). Such factors include the degree of maturity, color of lean, texture, and finally the degree and distribution of marbling. The determining factors for meat quality however, are multi-factorial and complex. This is because of the highly organized and complex structure of muscle tissue and the various processes the raw meat will undergo such as slaughter methods, storage time, storage temperature (freezing, chilling), salting, and smoking amongst others all of which will affect the final texture.

Meat tenderness is an important attribute for meat texture and palatability such that any variations in tenderness will influence a consumer’s decision making process to repurchase. The texture of meat is influenced by the cook time and temperature. A correlation between meat texture and heat-induced denaturation of meat proteins has been reported for beef. The tenderness of cooked meat will be largely influenced by connective tissue and myofibrillar components. This is because during heating, a number of chemical changes associated with the muscle fibers and connective tissues occur. The cooking temperature therefore has a marked effect on the force deformation curve for meat.