L.EQT.1911-Resource Flock Sensory Evaluation and MSA Model Development

Summary

In total 318 consumer sessions were completed involving 19,080 consumers where a total of 11,448 test cut types were consumed. All consumer tasting sessions were carried out using the standard MSA protocols with untrained consumer panels. A key outcome of this project is the delivery of an extensive dataset with the inclusion of new cut by cooking method combinations (grilling: knuckle, outside, rump; roasting: knuckle, leg, shoulder, rack cutlet, rack slice) in addition to the previously collected data for the grilled loin and topside under the Sheep CRC. This will allow for the further development of the sheepmeat MSA Mark II cut based grading prediction model in alliance with the development of genomic predictions of eating quality through establishing new Australian Sheep Breeding Values for the actual eating quality of lamb cuts.

Objectives

The direct project objectives were:
• Conduct sensory panels with Australian untrained consumers as per the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) protocols using the MLA Genetic Resource flock lambs.
• Gather additional information from the untrained consumer panel members such as simple demographic and willingness to pay information (as per the normal MSA protocols for sensory evaluation).
• Provide the raw data for each session back to the Sheep Resource Flock Data.

At a high level this project place the Australian lamb industry as a world leader to underpin consumer demand for lamb via transparent genetic progress. In particular it will deliver:
• the development of new breeding values for the MSA based eating quality of lamb
• an understanding of the phenotypic and genetic relationships between the new cut x cook combinations and lean meat yield
• an understanding of the phenotypic and genetic relationships between sensory scores and other indicators of meat quality including intramuscular fat, shear force and muscle structural properties
• an expanded beta version of the MSA Mark II cuts-based model for lamb. The data will allow for the prediction of 6 new cut x cook combinations in addition to the short loin and topside.

Key findings

Key finding from this project include:
• Establishment of an extensive eating quality dataset as the basis for the development of the new cut based MSA model and the development of new eating quality breeding values.
• Key findings will further be generated from the planned individual analyses as outlined below in the potential publication list.

Benefits to industry

At a high level this project will place the Australian lamb industry as a world leader to underpin consumer demand for lamb via transparent genetic progress. In particular it will deliver
1. the development of new breeding values for the MSA based eating quality of lamb,
2. an understanding of the phenotypic and genetic relationships between the new cut x cook combinations,
3. an understanding of the phenotypic and genetic relationships between the new cut x cook combinations and lean meat yield,
4. an understanding of the phenotypic and genetic relationships between sensory scores and other indicators of meat quality including intramuscular fat, shear force and muscle structural properties, and
5. an expanded version of the MSA Mark II cuts-based model for lamb.

MLA action

Results from this project were discussed at pathways and further MSA Sheepmeat model development has occurred with the larger data set.

Future research

Future research

• Examine more optimal roasting methods for the lamb legs and shoulders (extension of cooking time, semi wet cooking and other cooking methods). These cuts have shown to eat not as well as expected.
• Examine more roasted racks bone-in presented as a commercial cut to consumers.
• Examine more grilled cutlets bone-in or served as 25mm thick grill boneless cutlets.