Suitability of Different Cuts of Yak Meat for Shabu-shabu Processing

This study examined the silverside, striploin, rump, high rib, shoulder, and shank of yak meat. Specifically, the differences in nutritional quality, muscle fiber characteristics, and physicochemical properties before shabu-shabu processing, as well as physicochemical properties and edible quality indices after shabu-shabu processing were analyzed. Through correlation analysis, principal component analysis (PCA), and cluster analysis, key quality indicators for shabu-shabu yak meat processing were identified. Rsults showed that, the raw yak meat redness (a^*), fat content, water loss rate under pressure, gel hardness, shabu-shabu yak meat yellowness (b^*), and chewiness were the key quality indicators for shabu-shabu yak meat processing. A comprehensive quality evaluation equation for shabu-shabu yak meat was established: Y=0.1644X₁+0.0561X₂+0.3630X₃+0.1102X₄+0.1609X₅+0.1453X₆. This equation was employed to calculate scores for different shabu-shabu yak meat cuts. K-means cluster analysis was used to assess the suitability of various cuts for shabu-shabu processing, indicating that high rib and silverside cuts with Y values greater than or equal to 0.61 were suitable, striploin and rump with Y values between 0.50 and 0.61 were relatively suitable, and shank and shoulder with Y values less than or equal to 0.50 were unsuitable. The regression equation, y=5.0914x−2.2958 (R²=0.8232), correlating comprehensive quality scores as the independent variable with overall acceptability scores of consumer sensory evaluations as the dependent variable, validates the accuracy of the quality assessment model in determining the suitability of different yak meat cuts for shabu-shabu. This study provides distinct evidence validating the suitability of different yak meat cuts for shabu-shabu, as well as a basis for the rationalization and standardization of yak meat processing.