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The surface sheen phenomenon in enhanced beef steaks, packaged under modified atmosphere, was studied using various combinations of processing techniques and brine formulations. There was no effect (P > 0.05) of time between enhancement and when steaks were cut on surface sheen. Beef temperature less than 0 °C prior to enhancement, resulted in less (P ≤ 0.05) sheen and less retained pump (P ≤ 0.05) than beef greater than 2 °C. Removal of phosphate from the brine resulted in lower (P ≤ 0.05) sheen, and the addition of lactate decreased (P ≤ 0.05) sheen but resulted in less (P ≤ 0.05) retained pump. Sheen was correlated (P ≤ 0.05) with pump uptake (r = 0.58) and pH (r = -0.29). Results indicate that surface sheen can be significantly affected by ingredients used, but caution must be taken as retained brine and pH can also be affected, causing secondary influences on instrumental and visual traits., (Copyright © 2010 The American Meat Science Association. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Two studies were conducted to evaluate the effects of blast chilling of carcasses and injection with calcium chloride (CaCl2) at 24 h postmortem on Warner-Bratzler shear values (WBS) and moisture losses of pork longissimus muscles (LM). In a preliminary study, Exp. 1 was conducted to determine whether the injection procedure using 100% water had an influence on WBS of pork LM. Injecting pork LM with water at 24 h postmortem had no effect on WBS (P = .64). In Exp. 2, 27 carcass sides were assigned to 1) blast chilling for 1 h at 25 degrees C and then chilling for 23 h at 1 degree C or 2) standard chilling for 24 h at 1 degree C. At 24 h postmortem, the LM was removed from each side and divided into anterior (AL) and posterior (PL) halves. For each LM, the CaCl2 treatment was assigned randomly to either the AL or PL. Those receiving CaCl2 were injected with a .3 M solution at 10% by weight. Muscles then were stored for 3 d at 1 degree C before 2.54-cm chops were removed, cooked to an internal temperature of 70 degrees C, and allowed to cool for 2 h, then six 1.27-cm cores were taken and sheared. No differences (P > .05) in purge or cooking loss were observed, but rapid chilling reduced (P < .05) the combination of purge and cooking loss without influencing WBS (P = .77). The injection of CaCl2 at 24 h postmortem lowered (P < .05) WBS of pork LM muscle. Therefore, the tenderness of pork can be enhanced by injection of CaCl2.