Calcium Chloride Injection and Degree of Doneness Effects on the Sensory Characteristics of Beef Inside Round Roasts

Twenty USDA Standard beef inside rounds were purchased from the Excel Corp. in Plainview, TX to determine the effects of CaCl₂ injection and degree of doneness on inside round roasts. Inside rounds were halved and each half served either as a control or was injected with CaCl₂. Each half was cut into four sections with one used for retail case display and the other three subjected to cooking at 60, 70, or 80°C doneness. Roasts injected with CaCl₂ were more tender as evidenced by higher initial and sustained tenderness scores and lower Warner-Bratzler shear force values (P < .004). Overall beef mouthfeel also was improved over the control by CaCl₂ addition (P < .004). Thaw and purge losses were higher (P < .001) for CaCl₂-injected roasts and cooking losses were lower (P < .01) than for controls. Injection with CaCl₂ did not affect color, color uniformity, discoloration, or surface browning through 1 d of retail case display (P < .05). However, after 2 d of display, control roasts were superior in these traits (P < .05). Roasts cooked to 60°C of doneness were found to be more palatable than those cooked to higher degrees of doneness (P < .05). The improvement in tenderness through CaCl₂ injection for tougher cuts from the round is an important finding for the beef industry. The results from this research support the need to use CaCl₂ to improve beef tenderness and consistency.