10/23/1995

Lonergan Looking at Ways to Tenderize Beef, Naturally

AUBURN, Ala. - Nature's tenderizers are the focus of research being conducted by Elisabeth Lonergan, an assistant professor of Animal and Dairy Sciences at Auburn University who joined the AU faculty last June.

Lonergan, a native of Missouri, grew up on a polled Hereford farm where she helped raise and show livestock. Her interest in livestock led her to pursue a degree in food science at the University of Missouri, graduating in 1988.

While an undergraduate, she became interested in muscle biology - the study of muscle structure and growth - and Lonergan went on to earn her master's in meat science and the Ph.D. in muscle biology and biochemistry from Iowa State University, graduating in 1991 and 1995, respectively.

Lonergan came to Auburn June 1 where she is teaching and conducting research on meat quality issues. Her expertise could be a boon for Alabama cattle producers, especially those who run cow-calf operations and want to enhance the value of lower quality meats.

While some of her research, which is conducted through the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station System, will be looking at post-slaughter tenderizing techniques, she also is looking at pre-slaughter approaches.

"We are looking at endogenous enzymes found in the muscle called calpains," she said. "These are part of an enzyme and inhibitor system that is thought to play a role in muscle growth and in the tenderness of meat."

Lonergan is exploring ways to manipulate this complex so that an animal has a higher calpain activity after slaughter. One way to do this is through genetic selection. Lonergan explained that some cattle tend to have greater activity of the calpains for a longer period of time than others. If producers can determine which breeds or blood lines have this trait, they can incorporate that information into their breeding decisions, thus actually breeding animals with more tender meat. Another avenue for taking advantage of calpains may be to increase calpain activity through carcass treatments.

This kind of research can benefit Alabama's cow-calf producers. When cull cows are sent to slaughter, their meat tends to be less tender and is typically used for products such as ground beef. If Lonergan's research can find ways to enhance the quality of cow beef, Alabama producers may have a better market for cull cows and consumers may be able to buy tender cuts of meat that are less expensive than cuts from grain-fed cattle. What's more, if methods can be developed to successfully predict the tenderness of young animals before they are marketed, Alabama's cattle producers could market calves that could be used to produce premium beef for the "white table cloth" restaurant trade.

In addition to her beef work, Lonergan's research also will look at pork quality issues and she will be teaching meat science classes.

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News from:

Office of Ag Communications & Marketing

Auburn University College of Agriculture
Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station
3 Comer Hall, Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
334-844-4877 (PHONE) 334-844-5892 (FAX)

Contact Jamie Creamer, 334-844-2783 or jcreamer@auburn.edu
Contact Katie Jackson, 334-844-5886 or smithcl@auburn.edu

October 23, 1995