Industrial trials will begin soon on a new system of processing beef which has been developed by Teagasc, the agriculture and food development authority.
The technology, which involves cutting up the beef not long after slaughter and introducing improved packing, has the potential to enhance tenderness, cut processing costs and deliver a more uniform product.
"The conventional way of handling beef is for the carcass to be chilled immediately after slaughter for up to 48 hours. It is then boned and the meat is allowed to age or mature for up to 14 days," said Mr Declan Troy, of Teagasc's National Food Centre.
"With this new system, the high-value cuts are removed from the carcass within 1½ hours of slaughter. Then, through a process called 'PiVac', the meat is sucked into a tube of elasticated packaging, which effectively means that it cannot get tough. We call the resulting meat 'TenderBound'."
Mr Troy said that other advantages of the new process are longer shelf-life and a reduced interval between slaughter and sale. Beef could be consumed within seven days of slaughter compared to up to 14 days with the conventional system.
He added: "The new packaging system also ensures a consistent shape to beef on the supermarket shelf and for the catering trade, which may be attractive to retailers and consumers."