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Title: HYDRODYNE-TREATED BEEF: TENDERNESS, RANCIDITY, AND MICROBIAL GROWTH

Author
item O'ROURKE, BERNADETTE - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item CALKINS, CHRIS - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item ROSARIO, ROSE - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item Solomon, Morse
item LONG, JOHN - HYDRODYNE, INC.

Submitted to: International Congress of Meat Science and Technology Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 8/29/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Detonation of a small amount of high energy explosive within a water- filled, stainless steel tank (Hydrodyne) creates a shock wave which penetrates vacuum packaged meat. The acoustical match between the water in the tank and the water in the meat allows for an immediate and significant reduction in shear force (increase in meat tenderness). After an additional l10 days of aging no tenderness differences were detected. Hydrodyne treatment created no differences in pH, purge (exudate), oxidative rancidity, bacterial counts, or meat color scores. These results indicate that the Hydrodyne process can instantaneously tenderize meat with no detriment to product display or shelf-like stability characteristics.

Technical Abstract: The Hydrodyne tenderization process involves use of a small amount of explosive in water. The acoustical match between meat and water allows enhanced tenderization to occur, in part through substantial damage to muscle structure, when the resulting shock wave is reflected back through the meat. This research was conducted to determine the effect of the Hydrodyne process on tenderness, oxidative rancidity, and microbial growth during storage and retail display of beef. Sixteen beef strip loins and 16 rounds (8 control and 8 Hydrodyne each) were treated 5 days post-mortem. Following shipping, cuts were sampled (day 7) repackaged in vacuum and stored an additional 10 days before sampling during the beginning and end of a retail display period. Tenderness of strip loins revealed improved (P<.05) shear force at day 7 (2.81 kg vs. 3.23 kg for control) but not at day 17 (2.65 vs. 2.54 for control), probably due to proteolysis. No differences were noted in pH, sarcomere length, or purge for either cut. Retail display increased the amount of rancidity and microbial growth (total plate count), but changes were not treatment related. These data suggest that Hydrodyne enhances beef tenderness without compromising the rancidity or microbial stability.