ABSTRACT
The challenge of increasing efficiency during the slaughter process of beef and sheep meat is to maintain or enhance eating quality of meat. In order to achieve both increased efficiency and increased quality, alternative processing technologies are needed such as stretching or restraining pre-rigor muscles. The concept of stretching or restraining pre-rigor muscles is not new. Since Locker (1960) discovered the relationship between sarcomere shortening and tenderness, many studies have investigated possible techniques to increase sarcomere length and hence improve 48meat tenderness. This chapter will discuss current commercial meat stretching and meat shaping methodologies including whole carcass interventions, such as Tenderstretch and Tendercut, and individual muscle or cut interventions, such as muscle wrapping, Pi-Vac Elasto-Pack, and SmartStretch™/SmartShape™, and their commercial application.
