An Evaluation of the Tenderometer for Measuring Beef Tenderness

Abstract

One-hundred-ninety-three carcasses were graded and measured for tenderness by the tenderometer, taste panel and Warner-Bratzler shear. Correlation coefficients between tenderometer readings and tenderness as measured by the taste panel or Warner-Bratzler shear were low. Quadrant analysis was utilized to determine the efficiency of U.S.D.A. quality grade, marbling and the tenderometer for placing carcasses into uniform tenderness groups. Based on taste panel tenderness scores as the standard, the tenderometer correctly classified 78% of the samples while marbling score correctly classified 64% and quality grade 59%. Based on Warner-Bratzler shear values as the standard, the tenderometer, marbling score and U.S.D.A. quality grade correctly classified 76%, 60% and 55%, respectively. The tenderometer was found to be superior to U.S.D.A. quality grade or marbling as a means of placing cattle into homogenous tenderness groups. Copyright © 1974. American Society of Animal Science. Copyright 1974 by American Society of Animal Science.