2.4.2 Drip and cooking loss
For measuring drip loss, a slice of LT (about 20 g) was weighed. Each sample was then placed in sealed polyethylene plastic bags and stored in a chiller at 4 °C for 1 day and 7 days post mortem, after which they were removed from the bags, gently blotted, and re-weighed. The drip loss was expressed as a percentage of the weight change (Honikel, 1998). For cooking loss, a slice of LT muscle (about 30 g) was placed in a thin-walled polyethylene bag and vacuum-packed. Then the bag was completely immersed in a water bath (80 °C) for 30 min. Stainless steel rods were put in the bottom of the bag to keep all the meat immersed in the bath. Then the bag was put in running tap water (20 °C) for 40 min after which the meat was taken from the bag, dried and reweighed. The difference from the initial weight was obtained and divided by the original weight to give cooking loss (Honikel, 1998).