Project Number: 5438-31430-003-10
Project Type: Trust

Start Date: May 01, 2006
End Date: Sep 30, 2007

Objective:
To determine the effect of lower temperatures during refrigerated storage on the extent of postmortem proteolysis and tenderness of beef strip loin and top sirloin steaks and whether needle tenderization interacts with this effect.

Approach:
Strip loin and top sirloin subprimal cuts will be obtained from commercial beef processing facilities and transported to the facilities of a large food service purveyor. Subprimal cuts will be assigned randomly to aging times (7, 21, or 35 d), aging temperatures 30 and 35 degree F (1.1 and 1.6 degree C), and needle tenderization (0 or 1X). After the appropriate aging time, the subprimals will be cut into 2.54 cm steaks. One steak will be cooked to 70 degree C for slice shear force determination and the amount of postmortem proteolysis will be quantified using Western blots of desmin.