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Studies on blood engorgement in beef carcasses
Author(s) -
Gregory Neville G,
Wilkins Lindsay J,
Gregory Andrew M S
Publication year - 1988
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2740460105
Subject(s) - stunning , medicine , subcutaneous fat , zoology , biology , adipose tissue , ischemia
This study examined whether delayed bleeding at slaughter affected the overall appearance and residual blood content of beef. Three muscles were analysed for residual blood content, and when delayed bleeding was performed only the forequarter muscle showed high blood levels indicating that engorgement occurred where blood had gravitated within the carcass. Electrical stimulation of the carcass immediately before delayed bleeding did not expel any of the retained blood. In terms of the overall appearance of the carcass, the worst sites for blood engorgement were the thymus, lungs and subcutaneous fat at the brisket and neck. A trial was also conducted which showed that inducing a cardiac arrest helped to reduce the expression of bruises inflicted at stunning or slaughter.