Meat Cooking Shrinkage: a new parameter to evaluate meat quality

In the present research first results to define and analytically evaluate a new parameter, “Meat Cooking Shrinkage” (MCS) are reported. As many factors affect the shrinkage of meat, a series of preliminary experiments were conducted to develop a standardized MCS protocol, as accurate and repeatable as possible. At this purpose Video Image Analysis (VIA) was used. MCS provides a rapid and accurate measurement, associated with repeatability, but its improvement is possible and more researches are being carried out.