The objective was to characterize basic chemical and functional differences among mechanically recovered neck-bone lean beef (MRNL), hand-trimmed neck-bone lean beef, a control of 85% beef lean trim and bone marrow. MRNL had higher (PcO.05) metmyoglobin reducing ability and more total iron than the control and more fat (PcO.05) than hand trim. Values for pH were higher (PcO.05) for MRNL than for hand trim or the control (6.68, 6.33 and 5.80, respectively). MRNL also had higher (PcO.05) nonheme iron, total pigment and water-holding capacity. Bone marrow had higher (PcO.05) ash, cholesterol, total iron, total pigment and pH than any lean types.

1. Early post-mortem pH was used to identify PSE-like turkey meat, characterised by a low water-holding capacity and pale colour. In a commercial turkey processing facility, the pH value of turkey breast muscle was measured at 0, 9, 10, 14, 154, 231, and 246 min post mortem. 2. At 14 min post mortem, the carcases were separated into 3 pH classes: low (<5.70), medium (5.70 to 6.18), and high (>6.18). Low pH carcasses (<5.70) had higher drip loss(1.75%) than medium (0.81%) and high pH carcases (0.75%). Furthermore, high pH carcases (>6.18) had a lower L* value (darker) than low and medium pH carcases. 3. The effects of using CO2 'snow' on turkey breast muscle quality were also investigated. Light CO2 'snow' treatment (57 g snow/kg breast) and heavy CO2 treatment (113 g snow/kg breast) resulted in higher drip losses than the control no CO2 snow) group.

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Ground beef patties at two ascorbic acid (Asc) levels (0 and 1,000 ppm) and three mechanically recovered neck bone lean (MRNL) levels (0, 15 and 30%) were analyzed for percentage surface metmyoglobin (metMb) and HunterLab L* and a* values over 6 days of retail display. Data were collected for two replications. Patties made with Asc had less (P Ͻ 0.01) surface metMb than patties made without Asc on days 1-4 of retail display. Ascorbic acid and MRNL acted synergistically to improve surface color. Patties made with Asc showed a linear decrease (P Ͻ 0.05) in surface metMb as MRNL level increased from 0 to 30%. Patties made without Asc showed no change in surface metMb as MRNL level increased.