Benjamin Franklin, in 1749, experimented with using electricity to stun turkeys. Rather than stunning the turkeys, the turkeys were given too much electricity and were electrocuted. Franklin found that the meat from these turkeys was more tender. A quote from "The Private Franklin" by Lopez and Herbert, stated that, "Killing turkeys electrically, with the pleasant side effect that it made them uncommonly tender, was the first practical application for electricity."
Electrical stimulation is the application of low (50 to 100 volts) to high (400 to 550 volts) voltage of electricity to freshly slaughtered livestock (applied immediately after slaughter to up to 30 minutes after slaughter) to improve the tenderness of the meat and to cause the color, firmness, and marbling of the meat to be enhanced.
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