University of Nebraska-Lincoln scientists have developed a way to predict steak tenderness before the consumer takes that first bite. The technology could be a boon to the beef industry, potentially allowing retailers to charge a premium for a “guaranteed tender” label. Current U.S. Department of Agriculture grading standards classify beef carcasses into quality and yield grades but do not assess tenderness. Since carcasses are not priced on the basis of tenderness, producers don’t have a financial incentive to supply a tender product. The beef industry long has sought technology that could scan fresh meat at two to three days postmortem and predict its tenderness when cooked by the consumer about two weeks later. “Beef tenderness is a primary factor in consumer satisfaction,” said Jeyamkondan Subbiah, the UNL food engineer who heads the research. “However, a sufficiently accurate, nondestructive method of on-line evaluation of tenderness continues to elude the beef industry…. There is a growing recognition that beef tenderness must be incorporated into the USDA quality grading process if true, value-based marketing is to be developed.”Subbiah and colleagues at UNL developed an approach to the problem using hyperspectral imaging, a novel technology that combines video image analysis and spectroscopy. The system consists of a digital video camera and spectrograph to capture the two key qualities that affect beef tenderness — muscle structure and biochemical properties. The video captures the muscle profile, distinguishing between tender beef’s fine muscle fibers and tougher beef’s visibly coarser fibers. The spectroscopy measures biochemical properties that indicate how tender the steak will become during aging. In a study of the technology, two-day aged, one-inch thick ribeyes were placed on a plate and scanned by the system, which captures multiple images at hundreds of wavelengths with regular intervals. After scanning, the steaks were cooked and tested. The system predicted three tenderness categories — tender, intermediate and tough — with about 77% accuracy and two tenderness categories — acceptable and tough — with 93.7% accuracy. “We think consumers are willing to pay a premium for a guaranteed-tender product,” Subbiah said, predicting a premium of $1 to $2 per pound. The researchers are continuing to improve the process, and UNL is patenting the technology while hoping to identify a commercialization partner. Go to: Cattle Network

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