Abstract. A test ceil is described that measures the response of materials to a punch‐shear deformation. The cell, designed as a punch and die unit, was used with the Instron Universal Testing Instrument to determine the textural characteristics of several food products. Data are presented for beef muscles from US Choice and US Commercial grade animals. Sensory evaluation using magnitude estimation techniques showed high correlation with instrumental measurements. When all combinations of three sensory attributes and three instrumental properties were considered, correlation coefficients ranged from 0.92 to 0.98. Sensory judgments showed that the differences between muscles were 2 to 3 times greater than those found using the test cell, but the large scatter in panel results reduced sensitivity below that of the instrument. The panel judged the psoas major and the semiten‐dinosus from the US Commercial grade animal to be twice as tough as the same muscles from the US Choice grade animal. The biceps femoris was judged to be 4 times tougher in the Commercial than in the Choice grade animal.

A device is described for measuring the transverse deformation of cylindrical samples during axial compression. The device is fitted to an Instron Universal Testing Instrument and requires only standard Instron electronics and data recording systems. Calculations showing that the transverse deflection gives a good estimate of Poisson's ratio are valid for both isotropic and anisotropic materials. Correlation coefficients for magnitude estimates of three sensory texture attributes in beef increase from 0.5 to 0.9 when Poisson's ratio is substituted for the uniaxial “modulus of elasticity.” This indicates that Poisson's ratio may be a very promising objective parameter for predicting the sensory texture quality in meat.

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