Determination of the consumer threshold for beef tenderness

Steaks from the rib, loin and round of six beef sides varying in marbling and maturity were used to determine the consumer threshold for tendemess. The 1.3-cm thick, square portions averaged 227 g in weight. The 70 consumer panelists were Texas Tech University employees who cooked the steaks with dry heat to a medium doneness (70®C) and rated them on an 8-point scale for tenderness. A trained panel also rated the steaks. Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) values were taken on three 1.3-cm cores. Consumers found ribeye steaks acceptably tender if the WBS value <2.2 kg, with 85% scoring the steaks at least "slightly tender"; 70% of the consuroers scored these steaks 6, 7 and 8 (at least "moderately tender**) . A threshold for tenderness was not found for the loin strip steaks. For top round steaks, 47% of the consuroers assigned scores >5. At this threshold, the WBS value was <2.6 kg.