The experimental procedures regarding preparation
and presentation were identical for all samples used for
TPT. All lambs were weighed at the start of each
experiment and subsequently at 7-day intervals (every
Monday). Those found to be approaching pre-defined
live weights were then weighed daily until the nominated
live weight was reached. Lambs were then
slaughtered on the same day. After slaughter, hot carcass
weight was determined and the carcasses were then
left at ambient temperature (around 12 C) for 6 h to
avoid cold-shortening. Subsequently, all carcasses were
placed in a refrigerator at +1 C and were kept at this
temperature overnight. These carcasses were then sawn
down at the middle line through the centre of the vertebral
column. The left hand side (LHS) of each carcass
was jointed into leg, chump, loin, best end, breast,
shoulder, middle neck and, neck joints, following a
standard procedure (MLC, 1989). The leg joints were
weighed (mean weights were 0.75–1.90 kg), sealed into
polyethylene bags under vacuum conditions and stored
in a freezer (25 C) until taste panel evaluation.
Before taste panel evaluation, all frozen joints