Doctoral Thesis
Factors affecting the sensory perceptions of sheepmeat by Australian consumers and implications for eating quality grading systems
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Murdoch University
2025
Abstract
The impact of increasing lean meat yield (LMY) on consumer eating acceptance and its association with intramuscular fat (IMF) of lamb products was evaluated. Consumer sensory scores (overall liking, tenderness, juiciness, flavour liking) of the loin and topside were obtained from 3119 lambs, in addition to the knuckle, leg, outside, rack, rump and shoulder from a subset of these animals (n = 824). Indicators of LMY included GR tissue depth, whole carcass and section (fore, saddle, hind) computed tomography (CT) lean% and cut weight of the loin and topside (as a percentage of the total carcass weight). Additionally, loin IMF was measured on all animals, with IMF of the topside, outside, rump and shoulder also obtained from a subset of animals. Increasing LMY reduced eating quality in all cuts except the knuckle and leg. The impact on eating quality varied depending on the method used to estimate LMY, with the strongest association observed when using CT lean% measures, particularly section CT lean% from which the cut was taken. The effect of LMY on consumer eating quality was fully driven by IMF within the loin and rump cuts. However, decreasing IMF only partially accounted for the reduced eating quality of the rack, outside and shoulder with increased LMY. Results confirm the importance for simultaneous selection of LMY and IMF as key drivers of sheepmeat eating quality and the importance for the inclusion of on-line predictions of LMY in eating quality grading systems.
Details
- Title
- Factors affecting the sensory perceptions of sheepmeat by Australian consumers and implications for eating quality grading systems
- Authors/Creators
- Sonya M Moyes
- Contributors
- Liselotte Pannier (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Centre for Animal Production and HealthGraham Gardner (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Centre for Animal Production and Health
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Identifiers
- 991005765130807891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- School of Agricultural Sciences
- Resource Type
- Doctoral Thesis
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