Flaked and formed beef and pork steaks were manufactured using eleven different Comitrol cutting heads selected to give a wide range in flake size. Data from texture profile panel, Instron and cooking studies were collected. As flake size increased, visually detected fibrousness, first bite hardness, cohesiveness of the chewed mass, number of chews required for swallowing, amount of connective tissue detected by sensory panel and shear force all increased, while uniformity of the chewed mass decreased. Textural properties in beef and pork steaks were affected in a similar manner by flake size. Thickness of the flake particle was as important as width of the flake particle in affecting texture.

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Vacuum-packaged beef trimmings were stored for four time periods of 0, 1, 2 and 3 wk (4 lots) at 5°C. After the storage period, the four lots of trimmings were evaluated for chemical, microbial and sensory properties. Each lot was then made into beef patties. Two lots of patties (0 and t wk of storage at 5°C) were further stored at −18°C for 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months and used to determine sensory properties. The two lots prepared from trimmings stored for 2 and 3 wk were evaluated for chemical properties at 0, 6, 9 and 12 months of −18°C frozen storage. Patties prepared from vacuum-packaged beef trimmings stored for 2 and 3 wk had significantly lower sensory ratings as compared to ratings for patties made from trimmings stored for 0 or 1 wk. Microbial counts indicated that bacterial action could be more important than oxidative rancidity as the cause for these changes. Increased length of frozen storage time did not markedly affect sensory properties.

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