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Ovine Yield Grades. I. Retail Case-Life¹

Texas A&M University, College Station 77843^{2, 3,}

Abstract

A Major factor determining the demand for lamb carcasses involves the length of time subsequent retail cuts will remain acceptable to the consumer. Lamb cuts reach the point of unacceptability for a number of reasons; however, most of these relate directly to microbial activity. Haines (1933) reported that the subcutaneous fat covering serves as a poor source of nutrients for microorganisms. However, numerous reports have substantiated the existence of lipolytic bacteria which grow at low temperatures (Alford and Elliott, 1960; Ayres, 1960; Collins and Hammer, 1934; Goldman and Rayman, 1952; Hammer and Collins, 1934; Nashif and Nelson, 1953, a, b, c, d; Stark and Schieb, 1936; Vickery, 1936). The reports of Anderson and Hardenbergh (1932), Johns (1938) and Lubert, Smith and Thornton (1949) indicated that these lipolytic bacteria were capable of producing rancidity and concomitant off-odors and flavors. It follows then that fatter cuts may be an attractive media for spoilage bacteria, and that their growth on the surface of such cuts would ultimately reduce the acceptability, shelf-life and palatability of retail cuts.

¹ T. A. 9003, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Department of Animal Science.

³ This study was partially supported by the American Sheep Producers Council, Inc.