CONSUMER ACCEPTABILITY OF BEEF STEAK TENDERNESS IN THE HOME AND RESTAURANT

Acceptability of beef steak tenderness in home and restaurant environments was evaluated by 62 consumers. Steaks (loin, ribeye, or bottom and top round) were consumed by each panelist in their home and in a fine dining restaurant. Each consumer rated steaks for tenderness and overall acceptability in the home (over a 2-mo period) and one steak per week (over a 7-wk period) in the restaurant. Acceptability for steaks consumed at home and in the restaurant ranked between 3 (moderately tough) and 4 (slightly tough) on an 8-point scale. The Warner-Bratzler Shear force transition level for beef tenderness acceptability in the home was between 4.6 and 5.0 kg and in the restaurant between 4.3 and 5.2 kg. The unacceptable level of beef steak tenderness was less than or equal to 4.3 kg. Results suggested that consumers were more critical of beef tenderness in the home than in restaurants. Consumer responses may have been influenced by receiving free meals in the home or restaurant, as well as by the dining environment.