Muscle to meat SDL Flashcards
Dark firm and dry DFD beef (also known as dark cutting beef - DCB) and Pale Soft Exudative (PSE) are two meat technological problems affecting beef and pork respectively.
What factors contribute to the presentation of these two conditions?
DFD (Dark Firm and Dry) Beef
Cause: Chronic stress depletes glycogen, reducing lactic acid production post-slaughter.
Key Factors:
Prolonged transport, poor handling, fasting, or mixing unfamiliar animals.
Poor diet or chronic illness.
Older animals or bulls are more susceptible.
PSE (Pale Soft Exudative) Pork
Cause: Acute stress causes rapid glycolysis and lactic acid buildup post-slaughter.
Key Factors:
Rough handling or inefficient stunning.
Genetic predisposition (e.g., RYR1 gene mutation in Pietrain pigs).
Delayed carcass cooling.
How could DFD and PSE be prevented?
DFD (Dark, Firm, Dry): Minimize stress during handling, transport, and slaughter; ensure proper pre-slaughter fasting; maintain optimal handling and stunning procedures.
PSE (Pale, Soft, Exudative): Avoid high pre-slaughter stress, rapid chilling, and extreme temperature fluctuations. Proper stunning and controlled cooling post-slaughter help prevent PSE.
What problems result because of DFD and PSE?
DFD: Poor meat quality, reduced shelf life, increased spoilage, tougher texture, lower consumer acceptance.
PSE: Poor meat appearance, excessive water loss, reduced yield, softer texture, higher susceptibility to bacterial contamination.
What does it mean that the slaughterhouse dresses the carcasses according European Union (EU) specifications?
It means the slaughterhouse follows EU guidelines for slaughter, processing, and classification, which include specific standards for hygiene, carcass quality, and meat cuts.
A pig farmer is sending his pigs for slaughter. His contract is on dead weight. The slaughterhouse dresses the carcasses according European Union (EU) specifications.
As industry standard, the weight of each carcass was deducted a 2% of the weight on the day, and the carcass was classified as an “E”.
- Why was a 2% of the carcass weight deducted?
- What does it mean that the carcass was classified as “E”?
- The 2% deduction compensates for any shrinkage in weight due to moisture loss during the slaughter and dressing process, accounting for factors like blood removal and cooling.
- “E” is a classification in the EU grading system, representing a high-quality carcass with excellent conformation and minimal fat, often used for premium markets.
What does it mean that the slaughterhouse dresses the carcasses according UK specifications?
It means the slaughterhouse follows the UK’s guidelines for slaughter and dressing, including standards for carcass handling, meat quality, grading, and hygiene to meet regulatory and market requirements.
A cattle farmer is sending one of his animals for slaughter. His contract is on dead weight. The slaughterhouse dresses the carcasses according UK specifications.
The carcass was classified as a U+5H.
What does it mean that the carcass was classified as “U+5H.”?
“U” indicates the carcass has a high conformation (muscle development). “5H” refers to the fat classification, where “5” indicates a moderate amount of fat, and “H” signifies the fat is of a high quality. This grading provides an indication of the meat’s overall quality and suitability for different markets.
