Effects of electrical stimulation applied in combination with shock chilling method on selected quality attributes of beef from young bulls, heifers, and cows carcasses

Abstract

The study was aimed at determining the effect of electrical stimulation (ES) and shock method of chilling on beef pH, tenderness and losses of half‐carcass weight. It was demonstrated that the use of treatments caused a rapid acceleration of the post mortem changes rate in heifers and cows half‐carcasses meat. ES accelerated pH decline in bulls half‐carcasses as well, however did not cause the differences in the ultimate pH. The treatments allowed to obtain 90 and 70% of heifers and cows half‐carcasses, respectively, classified to the first commercial quality grade (meat pH from 5.5 to 5.7), whereas had no effect on bulls half‐carcasses grade. The ES improved meat tenderness, which was demonstrated in approx. 50% reduction in shear force values and enabled to reduce half‐carcasses weight losses. ES in combination with shock chilling might be used to improve the quality of beef and increase profitability of beef carcass production. Practical applications The studies on determining the effect of the usage of own‐construction devise for high‐voltage electrical stimulation with subsequent shock chilling on selected quality attributes of beef from young bulls, heifers and cows carcasses indicated the possibility to improve a commercial quality grade and technological properties of meat originated from half‐carcasses of Holstein‐Friesian (dairy) cattle. The combination of these two treatments enables to obtain the technological and economical effects very important from practical point of view: acceleration of post mortem pH decline in meat tissue (without the risk of cold shortening), increased proportion of the highest grade beef half‐carcasses (especially inmeat from heifers and cows), improved meat tenderness (about approx. 50%) and reduced half‐carcasses weight losses during chilling. Moreover, the treatments can be a useful tool for improving the profitability of beef carcass production and meat quality, which will be beneficial for beef producers and consumers.

Influence of various chilling methods on the sustainable beef production based on high voltage electrical stimulation

“…The subsequent part of the study aimed to determine the effect of different meat production variants (chilling method slow, fast, accelerated + ES/NES) on changes in the industrial indicators (pH and temperature) of beef quality [ 32 , 38 ]. This complex approach was expected to allow identifying the optimal variant of meat production, ensure its high quality, and reduce its harmful effect on environment.…”

“…Given the results presented above, it has been concluded that the coupled use of HEVS performed using an own-construction device and a fast chilling method is justified considering both the economic and meat quality class established based on pH [ 32 ].…”

“…The decision to choose m . longissimus as the representative muscle for pH measurements was driven by the results our previous research [ 30 – 32 ]. Before the measurements made for meat from a given experimental group (ES, NES), the electrode was washed with distiller water and the pH-meter was calibrated.…”

Various Methods of Chilling and High-Voltage Electrical Stimulation Applied in Sustainable Beef Production Systems

“…Due to the possibility of exciting muscles through both the nervous system and muscle fiber conductivity, the HVES is considered the most effective method for meat quality improvement (Żywica, 2010). For this reason, the second part of this study aimed to determine the effect of high-voltage electrical stimulation of beef half-carcasses with an own-construction device (Żywica & Banach 2014) and their chilling with three methods: slow, accelerated, and fast two-phase, on the rate of changes in meat pH, being its main quality attribute (Contreras-Castillo et al 2016; Banach et al 2018). This complex approach was expected to allow identifying the optimal variant of meat production, ensure its high quality and reduce its harmful effect on environment.…”

Effect of Carcass Chilling on the Palatability Traits and Safety of Fresh Red Meat

“…Most of the studies held to the principle of –1 °C by 5 hr postmortem, such as chilling beef loins at –20 °C so the temperature reached –1.5 °C within 1.5 hr (Table , F1, F2), or allowing beef loins chilled at –20 °C to reach 0 °C at 2 hr postmortem (Table , F4). Some blast chilling procedures have also been studied, where beef muscles were held at –30 to –40 °C until the core temperature reached –1 °C at 3.5 hr postmortem (Table , F13), or shock chilling, where carcass sides were chilled at –3 to –5 °C until the freezing point was reached on the surface of the carcass (Banach, Modzelewska‐Kapituła, Wichman, Tkacz, & Żywica, ; Troeger, ; Żywica, Banach, & Gornowicz, ); or cryogenic chilling, where beef carcasses were held at –70 °C for 5 hr, and then the carcasses reached –2 to 0 °C at 5 hr postmortem (Table , F20). In lamb, the very fast chilling has been evaluated, where loins were chilled at –15 °C and the temperature of the muscle reached –1.9 to 0.7 °C (Table , F22 to F25); and ultra‐rapid chilling in which suckling lamb carcasses were chilled at –20 °C for 3.5 hr, and the temperature at 5 hr was –0.1 °C (Table , F31 to F32).…”