The effect of oxygen uptake on the quality of eight cooked, freeze-dried combination items used in Armed Forces operational rations was determined.The productsjwere packed in cans with different vacuums and stored at 100°F. Evaluations made at intervals during a six-month period included technological panel ratings, rehydration ratios, and analysis of headspace gas. Positive statistical correlations were found between oxygen uptake and flavor and odor ratings. Slopes of the regression lines for all eight items were almost identical. However, no correlation was found between oxygen uptake and rehydration ratios. Several items exhibited antioxidant properties which suggests that further work on formulations combined with oxygen uptake studies will result in improved storage characteristics for this type of freeze-dried products.

SUMMARY Attempts to relate mechanical measures of raw meat tenderness to cooked meat tenderness have generally been unsuccessful. Therefore, a study was designed to evaluate the use of a simple penetration test to predict cooked meat tenderness from the force required to penetrate the raw meat sample. An Allo‐Kramer Shear Press was modified to function as a penetrometer by replacing the Standard Shear‐Compression cell and shearing blades with a plate containing 5 needles. The needles were made from 1/8‐in.‐diameter drill rod and were semiblunt, having 0.007‐in.‐diameter land and 0.472/1.0‐in.‐taper. Using slices from the longissimus dorsi muscle of pork, various factors of the time‐force curve were analyzed to determine which would give the best indication of tenderness. It was found that the maximum force value gave the best results. Regression analysis showed correlations significant at the 1% level between the force necessary to penetrate the raw sample versus both force necessary to penetrate the cooked sample and trained technological panel evaluations.

No abstract

The need for improved texture evaluation methods in meat product development and procurement is discussed with emphasis on problems facing the Armed Forces. It is pointed out that inexpensive, reproducible, simple methods are needed similar to, for example, the rapid moisture analysis equipment now being used in chemical evaluation of foods.

No abstract