Skip to main content
ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #72787
Title: THE HYDRODYNE - A NEW PROCESS TO IMPROVE BEEF TENDERNESS

Author
item Solomon, Morse
item LONG, JOHN - HYDRODYNE, INC.
item Eastridge, Janet

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/5/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Increasing demand for leaner meats with less fat has resulted in the production of tougher, less acceptable meat. The Hydrodyne process which uses a small amount of explosive to generate a hydrodynamic shock wave in water significantly and instantaneously tenderized beef steaks from four major beef muscles (strip loin, top round, bottom round and eye of round). Several of these beef steaks were extremely tough (high shear values) prio to being treated with the Hydrodyne. Results suggest that tenderizing beef with the Hydrodyne process presents a potentially revolutionary opportunity in the way the meat industry can tenderize meat.

Technical Abstract: The organoleptic trait most affecting consumer acceptance of beef is tenderness. As the beef industry moves toward producing leaner meat products, the amount of fat is decreased, resulting in increased variations in meat palatability, especially tenderness. Several methods for tenderizing meat have been introduced, however, a number of techniques require additional holding periods, handling and space. Furthermore, several of these methods have been criticized for their lack of consistency in tenderness improvement. The Hydrodyne process uses a small amount of explosive to generate a shock wave in water. In less than a millisecond, the shock wave passes through objects in the water that are an acoustic match with water. If the shock pressure is large enough, the results are a tenderizing effect. Four different beef muscles exposed to either 50, 75, or 100 g of explosives were significantly and instantaneously tenderized compared to controls. Results suggest that tenderizing beef with the Hydrodyne process presents a potentially novel opportunity in the way the meat industry can tenderize meat.