Development of a sensory protocol for testing palatability of sheep meats

Abstract

A total of 108 grill and 108 roast samples were prepared from lamb (n = 10) and mutton (n = 8) carcasses for sensory testing using a consumer taste panel. Grill and roast samples were prepared from the left and right sides of the carcass, respectively, using longissimus, biceps femoris, gluteus medius, serratus ventralis and semimembranosus. Due to size constraints, muscle from both sides was used to form grill samples for the vastus lateralis, and roast samples from the triceps brachii. Grill and roast samples were sensory tested using 360 untrained consumers. Each consumer was given a total of 6 experimental samples and each sample was tested by 10 different consumers. Sensory scores for tenderness, juiciness, like flavour and overall liking from both the grilled and roasted samples were highly correlated (P<0.05). For grilling, the different muscles were correlated for tenderness and overall liking scores (P<0.05), with the exception of the semimembranosus (P>0.05). In contrast, juiciness and like flavour scores were poorly correlated between grilled muscles. For the roasted samples, sensory scores were generally uncorrelated between muscles. The statistical significance of the age category and muscle effects was greater in grill samples, but stimulation effects were of similar significance using either cooking method. It was proposed that roasting reduced treatment effects that affected sensory via differences in connective tissue toughness, due to gelatinisation of connective tissue during cooking. For testing production and processing effects on palatability, grilling was more sensitive for detecting treatment effects, than roasting.

The effect of ingesting a saltbush and barley ration on the carcass and eating quality of sheepmeat

“…The taste-panel methods were modified from Thompson et al (2005) and are further detailed in this paper. The cut of meat used was the LL muscle starting from the lumbar-sacral joint down to roughly the 12th rib.…”

Lamb and sheep meat eating quality — industry and scientific issues and the need for integrated research

“…The measurement of eating quality in this program has been based on untrained consumer taste panels very much along the lines of the research used to underpin the Meat Standards Australia beef grading scheme (Meat Standards Australia 2002) and is described in the 'Methodology and Statistics' section of this special edition. This methodology is unique and it is important that the readers understand the rigorous nature of the design of the consumer taste panels that can be found in Thompson et al (2005aThompson et al ( , 2005b. Across all the research, about 5600 consumers were used, such that each cut of meat was tested by 10 consumers who scored it for tenderness, juiciness, flavour liking and overall liking (0-100).…”

Critical control points for meat quality in the Australian sheep meat supply chain Critical control points for meat quality in the Australian sheep meat supply chain

“…While the 2 ages were possibly confounded by subtle breed difference, the results are consistent with the other studies presented here. Likewise, Thompson et al (2005b) showed a clear age effect, which was not surprising considering the age difference (9 v. 96 months).…”

“…The matching of muscles by age with recommended cooking method is a critical control point at retail for ensuring consumer satisfaction. To this end, Thompson et al (2005b) present a clear series of tables that can be translated into specific recommendations for matching muscles and age to cooking method. Pleasants (2005) took the eating quality data collected in this program and constructed a linear model of the sensory variables to derive an eating quality rate on a scale of 3: unsatisfactory, good everyday, superior.…”

“…Muscles, cooking and eating quality Thompson et al (2005b) examined the eating quality effects of grilling and roasting on 7 muscles from 9-monthold lamb and 96-month-old mutton. Grilling and roasting are the 2 most popular methods of cooking sheep meat in Australia.…”