The effects of skeletal separation and moisture enhancement for improving the eating quality of cull cow beef

Sixty-two cull beef cows were slaughtered to investigate effects of skeletal separation and moisture enhancement on beef eating quality. Muscles from each carcass side were randomly assigned to 1) no postmortem processing (NPP), 2) prerigor skeletal separation (SS), 3) moisture enhancement (ME) using calcium ascorbate or 4) a combination of SS and ME (SS/ME). Postmortem processing treatment (PPT) by ageing (PM) interactions (P < 0.01) for shear force were present for longissimus. As PM ageing increased from 7 to 21 d, there was a greater decrease (P < 0.05) in shear force with NPP vs. all other PPT. Trained taste panellists found SS, ME and SS/ME improved (P < 0.05) palatability attributes vs. NPP. An additive effect of combining SS and ME improved palatability traits versus SS or ME alone. Panellists found no differences (P > 0.14) in softness and tenderness between SS/ME and Canadian AA or AAA beef. Postmortem processing of beef cows may produce beef as tender and juicy as beef from younger carcasses.

► Skeletal separation/moisture enhancement improved tenderness of cull cow beef. ► Skeletal separation/moisture enhancement reduced ageing time to ensure tender beef. ► Postmortem processing can produce comparable tenderness for cow and red branded beef.