Extending the shelf-life of beef steaks using acerola cherry powder and rosemary extract

Improvements in retail shelf-life of exported beef will help with merchandising and increase competitiveness in the worldwide market for US beef products. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of topically applying acerola cherry powder or rosemary extract from various suppliers on beef bone-in short rib steak and chuck roll steak shelf-life. USDA Choice beef bone-in short ribs (IMPS 123A) and chuck rolls (IMPS 116A) were aged (0°C) for 28 d post-fabrication. Following aging, 1.02 cm-thick steaks were cut (N = 126) and systematically assigned to a treatment based on steak location within the subprimal. Treatments included: untreated control (C), topically sprayed (2ml) with an acerola cherry powder solution (0.05%) from one of three suppliers (C1, C2, C3), or topically sprayed (2ml) with a rosemary extract solution (0.10%) from one of three suppliers (R1, R2, R3). Half of the steaks were assigned to d 0 lipid oxidation, metmyoglobin reducing activity (MRA), and oxygen consumption; the remaining steaks were assigned to color evaluation over 4 days of retail display followed by d 4 lipid oxidation and MRA. Short rib steaks treated with antioxidants had a brighter oxygenated lean color than control steaks (P < 0.001). There was an interaction (P = 0.028) between time of retail display and MRA. Short rib steaks treated with C3 and R2 did not change in MRA between d 0 and 4 (P = 0.620, P = 0.428, respectively). Chuck roll steaks treated with C1, C2, C3, R2, and R3, all had a higher, or more desirable, MRA than the control steaks on d 0 (P < 0.001). Applying topical antioxidants improves the shelf-life stability of steaks from beef bone-in short ribs and chuck rolls aged for an extended period.

PSXV-28 Late-Breaking: Impact of beef genotypes and finishing systems on beef consumer acceptability and the effect of demographic factors on consumer sensory preferences

Beef genotypes and diets can improve the eating quality and consistency of beef. A 2-yr study was conducted to evaluate the effects of beef genotypes and diet on consumer acceptability of beef. Steaks were from Red Angus (RA) and RA x Akaushi (AK) crossbreed, fed one of two finishing systems: grazing (GRASS) and feedlot (GRAIN). Consumers (n = 105 in each year) evaluated cooked steaks for flavor, tenderness, juiciness, and overall acceptability using a 9-point hedonic scale. Demographical information was collected and used as covariates in the statistical model. There was no difference in sensory attributes (P > 0.05) between the genotypes, except that steaks from AK tended to be juicier than RA (P = 0.06). Sensory attributes were scored better in GRAIN than GRASS beef (P < 0.01) for all variables. There was a genotype by system interaction for flavor (P = 0.02), where beef from RA had a lower flavor rating in GRASS than in GRAIN, and no difference was observed for AK. Demographic effects showed that gender and beef consumption location had significant effects on flavor. Flavor scores were higher for females than males (6.1 vs 5.7, P = 0.02), and higher from consumers who eat beef in restaurants than consumers who do not eat beef in restaurants (6.6 vs 5.3, P < 0.01). Juiciness scores were impacted by the frequency of beef consumption. Panelists who eat beef once every 2–3 weeks rated the steaks juicier than those who eat beef once every 2–3 months (6.5 vs 4.3, P = 0.04), and consumers who eat grass-fed beef twice a year rated the steaks worse than those who eat it less than once a year (P = 0.02). Our results suggest that the beef finishing system had a marked impact on consumer acceptability, and AK might produce meat juicier than RA. Some demographic factors may influence consumer perceptions of beef.

A comparison of consumer response using paper and digital ballots for eating quality assessment of beef steaks

A consumer study was conducted to determine if consumers scored beef palatability traits differently on paper vs. digital ballots. Beef subprimals were collected to represent four treatments with inherent variation in eating quality: USDA Select eye round aged 7 d postmortem, USDA Select strip loin aged 7 d postmortem, USDA Choice tenderloin aged 21 d postmortem, and USDA Prime strip loin aged 21 d postmortem. Accessory muscles, external fat, and connective tissue were removed from subprimals. Muscles were fabricated into 2.5 cm steaks and further divided into 2 equal halves for consumer testing. Consumers (n = 360) were served eight samples divided into two blocks representing the two ballot types. Select longissimus lumborum samples were always served in the first and fifth position to start each ballot block, with the remaining three treatments served in a randomized order between the latter three positions within each ballot block. Consumers rated each steak sample for tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, and overall liking on either a paper or digital ballot, and then rated the paired steak halves on the opposite ballot during the second block of sample testing. Ballot type influenced (P < 0.02) all traits, as consumers scored tenderness, juiciness, flavor liking, and overall liking greater (P < 0.05) on paper ballots compared to digital ballots, regardless of treatment. The smallest margin between paper and digital ballots was observed for tenderness, where scores only differed by 1.8 units. However, juiciness, flavor liking, and overall liking all differed by 3.4 units in favor of paper ballots. Consumers scored palatability traits greater on paper ballots compared to digital ballots, and these findings were consistent across a range of eating quality outcomes. These results should be considered when comparing past consumer testing results using paper balloting systems to those where digital ballots were used.

Development of beef volatile flavor compounds in response to varied oven temperature and degree of doneness

Beef volatile flavor compound (VFC)development at the center, mid, and surface layers of cooked steaks wasevaluated through eighteen cookery treatment combinations consisting of oven cookingtemperature (OT; 177°C, 246°C, and 343°C) and final internal steak temperature(IT; 57°C, 63°C, 68°C, 74°C, 79°C, 85°C). In total, seventy-two VFC were measuredrepresenting the Maillard reaction and lipid degradation. Five VFC wereimpacted by a three-way interaction of OT × IT × layer (P ≤ 0.030). TwoVFC were impacted by a two-way interaction OT × IT (P ≤ 0.010). SixteenVFC were impacted by a two-way interaction OT × layer (P ≤ 0.050). SixteenVFC were impacted by a two-way interaction IT × layer (P ≤ 0.050).Twenty VFC were impacted by main effect of layer (P ≤ 0.010). Eight VFCwere impacted by main effect of IT (P ≤ 0.050). Maillard compounds were formedprimarily at steak surfaces with a general increase in content with greater finalIT and OT to a lesser extent. Lipid derived compounds were diverse. Methyl estersand aldehydes were consistently in lower content at steak surfaces and primarilyfound within the inner portions of steaks. Conversely, certain alcohols and ketoneswere more prominent at steak surfaces. Development of compounds among layers wasalso consistently influenced by IT and OT. It may be concluded that flavor contributingcompounds vary among cooked beef steaks at different depths and cookery temperatures,such as OT and final IT, may be utilized to mediate the final volatile compoundcomposition. 

Dry-Aged Beef Steaks: Effect of Dietary Supplementation with Pinus taeda Hydrolyzed Lignin on Sensory Profile, Colorimetric and Oxidative Stability

Flavor is one of the main factors involved in consumer meat-purchasing decision and use of natural antioxidants in animal feeding had a great appeal for consumers. The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effect of Pinus taeda hydrolyzed lignin (PTHL) feed addition on oxidative stability, volatile compounds characteristics, and sensory attributes of 35 days dry-aged beef steaks. Forty steer six months old were randomly divided into a control group (CON; n = 20) and an experimental group (PTHL; n = 20). Both groups were fed ad libitum for 120 days with the same TMR and only the PTHL group received PTHL supplement. Samples of LT muscle were removed from carcasses and dry aged for 35 days at 2 °C, 82% of humidity, and 0.4 m/s of ventilation and then analyzed. Meat of CON group showed lower yellowness (p < 0.01) and higher TBARS (p < 0.01) values. Moreover, CON meat showed higher volatile aldehydes and lower sulfur compounds (p < 0.01), with higher unpleasant odor (p < 0.05) and meaty odor (p < 0.01) score revealed by sensory assessors. PTHL inclusion in beef diet delayed the oxidative mechanisms in 35 days dry-aged steaks, resulting in an improved colorimetric, volatolomic, and sensory profile.