Furthermore, it showed that the beef industry can improve tenderness by either increasing aging to 14 days or longer or by applying electrical stimulation to the carcass. Research on ToBEC and VIA suggested that if USDA graders were provided accurate estimates of fat thickness, ribeye areas and percent kidney, pelvic and heart fat, accuracy of the applied yield grade would be significantly increased. These studies also provided strong evidence that when the parameters in the current USDA Yield Grading system were accurately measured, the system was highly accurate in predicting carcass yield. Evaluation of the Tender-Tec system indicated the system would not accurately predict the ultimate tenderness of cooked beef. Preliminary evaluation of the Hunter VIA system suggests it is a promising technology that could accurately predict marbling in the ribeye at the twelfth rib.
Further evaluation is warranted.