Distribution of Marbling Throughout the   of Beef Carcasses Using an Instrument-Grading System

AbstractThe U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) beef grading system plays an important role in marketing and promoting beef. USDA graders inspect beef carcasses and determine a quality grade within a few seconds. Although the graders are well trained, the nature of this grading process may lead to grading errors. Significant differences in the USDA graders’ “called” and “camera-graded” quality grades were observed, as well as variations in quality grades across seasons and years. Under grid pricing, producers gained financially from grades called by USDA graders rather than grades measured by cameras.

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Sorting beef subprimals by ribeye area size at the packer level to optimize utility and product uniformity in foodservice and retail

Translational Animal Science ◽

10.1093/tas/txaa107 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (3) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Chandler C Steele ◽

Ashley N Arnold ◽

Kerri B Gehring ◽

Davey B Griffin ◽

Jeffrey W Savell

Keyword(s):

Visual Images ◽

Department Of Agriculture ◽

Sorting Method ◽

Beef Carcasses ◽

Ribeye Area ◽

Beef Products ◽

Strip Loin ◽

Instrument Grading

Abstract The objectives of the study were to evaluate if sorting beef carcasses at the packer level by loin muscle (LM) area, using instrument grading technology, would increase the consistency of three boxed beef products for the foodservice and retail sectors of the industry. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Choice beef sides (n = 100) and USDA Select sides (n = 100) were selected and stratified into five LM area categories (±2.9 cm2): 1) 77.4, 2) 83.9, 3) 90.3, 4) 96.8, and 5) 103.2 cm2. Beef lip-on ribeyes and boneless strip loins were obtained from USDA Choice sides and full, partially defatted tenderloins were obtained from USDA Select sides. Subprimals were scanned with a portioner that captured visual images and dimensional analyses of each subprimal, and data were analyzed by the software to determine multiple portioning outcomes for each subprimal. Portioning data were generated for each subprimal based on a variety of targeted portion weights (ribeye and strip loin steaks = 340.2 g; tenderloin steak = 170.1 g), as well as various portion thicknesses (ribeye and strip loin steaks = 31.8 mm; tenderloin steak = 44.5 and 50.8 mm). Subprimal utility varied across targeted portion weights and thicknesses within each LM area category. For the ribeyes and strip loins, optimal portion weight and thickness combinations were observed more frequently in LM area categories 1 and 2 than for the three larger LM area categories. Analysis of data for tenderloins revealed that LM area categories played a lesser role in identifying optimization of steak portion weight and thickness combinations. Findings demonstrate that creating categories of beef subprimals based on LM area as opposed to subprimal weight might provide a unique sorting method that would improve boxed beef product consistency and uniformity for foodservice and retail sectors.

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Tenderness and sensory attributes of 11 muscles from carcasses within the Canadian cull cow grades

Canadian Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1139/cjas-2017-0105 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 98 (2) ◽

pp. 230-240 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Jordan C. Roberts ◽

Argenis Rodas-González ◽

Manuel Juárez ◽

Óscar López-Campos ◽

Ivy L. Larsen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Shear Force ◽

Quality Attributes ◽

Sensory Attributes ◽

Eating Quality ◽

Consumer Acceptability ◽

Grading System ◽

Force Analysis ◽

Beef Carcasses ◽

Psoas Major ◽

Cull Cow

The eating quality and shear force of meat from mature beef carcasses graded within the Canadian grading system were compared with youthful carcasses. Eleven muscles were obtained from mature-graded carcasses with >50% ossification (D1, D2, D3, and D4; n = 84) and youthful carcasses with <50% ossification [over 30 mo (OTM); n = 18, and under 30 mo (UTM) of age; n = 18, based on dentition]; muscles were aged 14 d prior to sensory and shear force analysis. Many muscles from mature-graded carcasses were juicier than UTM, however, most were less tender (P < 0.05). Psoas major was tender, particularly in D1 and OTM carcasses where tenderness measures were not significantly different from UTM (P > 0.05). Shear force values from the infraspinatus of D1 and OTM carcasses were not different from UTM. Flavour intensity was higher in several muscles from D1, D2, and D4 carcasses (P < 0.05), whereas flavour intensity was lower in several muscles from D3 (P < 0.05). Changes to eating quality attributes differed among mature grades; therefore, processors could potentially use the information presented here as a guide for utilizing cuts which retain high eating quality and separating those requiring tenderness intervention to reach consumer acceptability.

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