Effects of Thawing Temperature on the Physicochemical and Sensory Properties of Frozen Pre-Rigor Beef Muscle

Pre-rigor bovine sternomandibularis muscles were frozen at 3 hr postmortem thawed at various temperatures (18, 2, and $-2^{\circ}C$), and then meat quality and sensory properties were compared with those in chilled muscle (control). The meat thawed at $18^{\circ}C$ had lower ultimate pH, water holding capacity, and sensory scores and higher muscle shortening, thaw drip loss, and shear values than those of the other samples. The samples thawed at $-2^{\circ}C$ had significantly lower muscle shortening and higher sensory scores in tenderness and juiciness than those thawed at 18 and $2^{\circ}C$. Muscle shortening, pH, WHC, shear values, and sensory properties were not significantly different between control and sample thawed at $-2^{\circ}C$. By holding at $-2^{\circ}C$, thaw shortening was prevented and tender meat comparable to the chilled meat was obtained. These results indicate that thaw shortening can be largely eliminated if the frozen pre-rigor muscle is thawed at $-2^{\circ}C$.