SmartStretch™ Technology. I. Improving the tenderness of sheep topsides (m. semimembranosus) using a meat stretching device

This study evaluated the effect of stretching hot-boned sheep topsides using a pre-production prototype device (SmartStretch™). To test this effect, 40 sheep from 3 consignments were assessed. Left and right topsides were collected pre-rigour and randomly allocated to one of four treatments; 0 days ageing + SmartStretch™, 0 days ageing + no stretch, 5 days ageing + SmartStretch™ and 5 days ageing + no stretch. Meat from the 0 days aged + no stretch treatment was the least tender and the 5 days ageing + SmartStretch™ treatment resulted in the most tender meat. The m. semimembranosus from topsides stretched using the SmartStretch™ prototype device had a lower cooking loss percentage (P < 0.001) and longer sarcomeres (P < 0.001) than non-stretched m. semimembranosus. There was no effect of SmartStretch™ on myofibrillar degradation measured using particle size analysis (PSA), but there was an ageing effect (P < 0.001). The tenderness of stretched m. semimembranosus showed significant improvement over non-stretched m. semimembranosus.

► Meat tenderness was improved significantly by applying SmartStretch™ treatment.
► SmartStretch™ treatment did not impact on protein degradation.
► Tenderness improvements are partly reflective of an increase in sarcomere length.