Uniformity and enhancement of meat eating quality is seen as an important factor in the sustainability of the Scottish (and UK) red-meat sector, in securing increased high-end market share locally and internationally.  A number of factors affect meat eating qualities, both in terms of the way the animals are reared and at he the processing stage of production.  Several studies have shown that the highest ranked eating quality characteristic is meat tenderness.  Subjective measurements of this characteristic are made by structured taste panels.  Objective measurements have been made traditionally by texture analysis methods using the classic 'Warner-Bratzler' (WB shear force technique.

The efficiency of red meat production and marketing could be improved by better techniques for measuring carcass and meat quality and the Scottish Agricultural College (SAC) has recently started a Scottish Government-funded research programme investigating novel measures and predictors of meat quality, which involves comparing a range of techniques for improve measurement in beef and lamb.  These include a new shear force test, the rapid Slice Shear Force (SSF) test using a TAPlus texture analyser from a British supplier [Lloyd Instruments] as well as near infrared reflectance and computed tomography measurements on meat samples. 



Click here to read the full article Measuring the Eating Quality of Meat.