Meat tenderness is the most important palatability attribute affecting consumers’
overall eating experience. Injection enhancement and blade tenderization have long
been used to improve this important trait. Injection enhancement has been shown to
improve tenderness, juiciness, color stability, and cooking yield, but not all solutions
have been adequately evaluated. Thus, there is a need to conduct research on the effectiveness
of common enhancement solutions. We published results from an extensive
study comparing a solution of phosphate, salt, and rosemary with a solution of calcium
lactate and rosemary injected by using traditional needle injection. There were no differences
in Warner-Bratzler shear force values between treatments, but trained panelists
scored steaks enhanced with calcium lactate and rosemary to be less tender and juicy
than steaks enhanced with phosphate, salt, and rosemary. However, steaks enhanced
with the phosphate solution had a higher incidence of metallic and salty off-flavors,
a darker initial color, and more color deterioration. Because needle-free injection
enhancement is relatively similar to traditional needle-injection enhancement with
regard to food safety, it should be evaluated for its effects on meat color, instrumental
tenderness, sensory traits, and yields.
Objectives of this research were to determine the effects of injection method (needlefree
vs. needle injection) and solution (calcium lactate vs. phosphate solution) on meat
color, instrumental tenderness, sensory traits, pump yield, and cooking loss of beef
Longissimus lumborum muscles.
