Tensile strength and the tenderness of beef sternomandibularis muscle

In their relationship to shortening, the tensile strength of cooked meat along the fibres and the shearing force measured across them are strikingly similar. Both increase to maximum values at 40% shortening before falling by a half with an approach to 60% shortening. A high correlation (r = 0·81) exists between the two sets of values, whether toughness is increased by cold shortening or reduced by ageing. The mechanical strength of meat along its fibres is therefore a simple measure of tenderness and a useful basis for relating muscle structure to stength.