2000, Volume 3, Paper 36
ISSN: 2209-6612

Meat sensory panels to monitor effects on eating quality of changes to production and processing systems

Hannah Williams – PhD student, Curtin University of Technology
Christine Storer – Agribusiness lecturer, Curtin University of Technology
Eric McEntyre – Lecturer, Curtin University of Technology
Brian McIntyre – Senior research officer, Agriculture Western Australia

Australians are among the world’s highest consumers of meat products, yet consumption of red meat is declining, despite access to high quality red meat . These declines have been equated with the changing lifestyle of Australian consumers, and concerns in the community over health issues . The greatest impact has been felt in the sheep meat industry as consumers turn to alternative protein sources such as chicken. Research has identified the characteristics most important to Perth consumers when purchasing meat as tenderness, freshness, taste, good reliable quality, low fat, flavour, and health benefits.

Lamb rated lower than expected on tenderness, juiciness, flavour, health benefits, good reliable quality and value for money . The first three factors in this list relate to the eating quality of the meat and it has been shown that repeat purchases of a meat cut are overwhelmingly influenced by previous experience of the eating quality of the meat . Monitoring of eating quality of meat is particularly important to ensure quality will be maintained as the industry response to changing consumer demands has been to produce consistently larger and leaner lambs all year round. The impact on eating quality of these changes in genetic selection, feeding, handling, management and processing systems for animals and carcasses needs to be determined.

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