Air thawing of beef quarters

An experimental study of thawing beef hind and forequarters of different weights in air has been made with respect to thawing time, weight loss, appearance and changes in bacterial numbers. From the experimental results a mathematical model and a computer programme have been developed to predict thawing times of quarters under other thawing conditions. Percentage weight losses varied from 1.2 when thawing at 5°C to 2.4 at 30°C. The appearance of quarters thawed at 5 and 10°C was satisfactory for normal use while a darkening of the lean and a drying out of thin sections made those thawed at 20 and 30°C only suitable for processing. The mean bacterial counts (expressed in logio/cm2) were always below 4.75 on quarters thawed at 5°C but they increased as the temperature of the thawing media was raised, means in excess of 7.0 being recorded on hindquarters thawed at 30°C.