Improving tenderness of normal and callipyge lambs with calcium chloride

• Published in: Journal of animal science 1997-02, Vol.75 (2), p.377-385
• Main Authors: Clare, T. L, Jackson, S. P, Miller, M. F, Elliott, C. T, Ramsey, C. B
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: actividad enzimatica; activite enzymatique; adipose tissues; analisis organoleptico; analyse organoleptique; Animals; aptitud para la conservacion; aptitude a la conservation; aroma; Biological and medical sciences; calcium chloride; Calcium Chloride - pharmacology; calidad; cambios post mortem; canal animal; carcass composition; carcasse; carcasses; carne; carne de cordero; chlorure de calcium; cloruro calcico; color; colour; composicion de la canal; composition de la carcasse; couleur; enzymic activity; fermete; firmeza; firmness; flaveur; flavour; Food industries; Food science; Food Technology - methods; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; genotipos; genotype; genotypes; keeping quality; lamb meat; Male; Meat; Meat - standards; Meat and meat product industries; meat cuts; meat yield; modification postmortem; Muscle, Skeletal - drug effects; organoleptic analysis; peso; Phenotype; piece de viande; piezas de carne; poids; Postmortem Changes; proteasas; protease; proteases; qualite; quality; rendement en viande; rendimiento carnico; resistance mecanique; resistencia mecanica; Sheep; Sheep - genetics; strength; tejido adiposo; tenderness; tendrete; ternura; textura; texture; Time Factors; tissu adipeux; viande; viande d' agneau; weight
• ISSN: 0021-8812; 1525-3163; 0021-8812
• DOI: 10.2527/1997.752377x

Effects of CaCl2 injection on meat quality traits of 10 normal and 10 callipyge phenotype crossbred lambs were studied. Primal cuts from one side of each carcass served as the control and cuts from the other side were injected. After storage for 14 d at 2 degrees C, chops were evaluated by Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force, trained sensory panel, and consumer sensory panel. Treatment of the muscles with 200 mM CaCl2 increased (P < 0.05 tenderness and lamb flavor intensity scores by the trained sensory panel and decreased (P < 0.05) WBS force in both normal and callipyge phenotypes. When callipyge muscles were not injected, consumers rated 94% of leg chops, 60% of loin chops, and 89.4% of shoulder chops acceptable in tenderness. However, when callipyge muscles were CaCl2-injected, consumers rated 96.5% of leg chops, 85.4% of loin chips, and 93.5% of shoulder chops acceptable in tenderness. Normal phenotype carcasses had more marbling (P < 0.05) in a firmer, finer-textured, brighter cherry red longissimus muscle. Injection of CaCl2 did not affect visual lean color or L, a, or b values during retail display of the chops. However, CaCl2 injection decreased color uniformity, increased discoloration, and increased browning at d 2. Therefore, a 5% (wt/wt) injection of 200 mM CaCl2 solution can be applied to improve normal and callipyge lamb tenderness and reduce tenderness and juiciness variation without detrimental effects on other palatability traits when evaluated by trained sensory panelists or consumers.