This study aimed to assess the influence of ageing on the volatile compounds, as well as odour and flavour attributes of lamb meat from the Navarra breed. Twenty-one male lambs were fed a commercial concentrate diet after weaning and were harvested at 101 ± 6.5 days of age. From the Longissimus thoracis, 26 volatile compounds were identified, with hexanal, 2-propanone, and nonanal the most abundant (57.17% relative percentage abundance, RPA). The effect of ageing (1 vs. 4 d) was observed (p < 0.05) in six compounds: 1,4-dimethylbenzene decreased with ageing, while tridecane, 3-methylbutanal, 2-heptanone, 3-octanone, and 1-octen-3-ol increased. In general, ageing was linked to a decrease in livery and bloody flavour, bloody odour and ethanal, and an increase in pentane, hexanal, and heptanal, which are usually associated with fresh green grass and fat descriptors. Consequently, ageing lamb from the Navarra breed for four days might have a positive effect on meat sensory odour and flavour quality.

Meat processors have long worked to optimize their operations. Historically a cyclical business characterized by lean margins, meat processors find it necessary to keep costs low and optimize profit per animal harvested to remain viable.

Many artisanal meat professionals believe that the microbial populations on the outer crust of dry-aged beef contribute to variation in sensory profiles; however, to date there is minimal information about the microbes themselves that grow on commercially produced dry-aged beef. The microbiome of dry-aged beef bone-in strip loins (Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications #175) from 5 commercial dry aging facilities, including one utilizing ultraviolet light treatment, were surveyed to assess the microbial populations residing on and within each subprimal. Each strip loin was sampled at multiple spatial locations and depths, and the microbial sequences present in the samples were identified using a nextgeneration sequencing approach. Insufficient microbial DNA was isolated from ultraviolet-light-treated strip loins, indicating that this treatment eliminates all or most microbial growth on the meat. Sequencing results indicated that each establishment was producing meat with different microbial communities, based on Permutational Multivariate Analysis of Variance (P < 0.01) and clustering in the Principal Coordinates Analysis plot of Jaccard distances. The position on strip loins from which samples were taken had negligible influence on microbial community structure. Aging facility, and the relative unique environmental conditions within, was determined to be the only observed driver of community structure. Notable operational taxonomic units (OTUs) detected included the spoilage-associated bacterium Pseudomonas fragi and the fungal species Debaryomyces udenii and Penicillium polonicum. An OTU identified as Mucor sp. PG272 was found to be present in over 75% of all samples. This OTU may represent a species similar to Thamnidium, a mold that has been associated with product quality. This study established a general core microbiome for dry-aged beef observed in commercial facilities, variations of which may—as future research could indicate—contribute to distinct sensory properties.

Nowadays, the meat industry requires non-destructive, sustainable, and rapid methods that can provide objective and accurate quality assessment with little human intervention. Therefore, the present research aimed to create a model that can classify beef samples from longissimus thoracis muscle according to their tenderness degree based on hyperspectral imaging (HSI). In order to obtain different textures, two main strategies were used: (a) aging type (wet and dry aging with or without starters) and (b) aging times (0, 7, 13, 21, and 27 days). Categorization into two groups was carried out for further chemometric analysis, encompassing group 1 (n_group1 = 30) with samples with WBSF ˂ 53 N whereas group 2 (n_group2 = 28) comprised samples with WBSF values ≥ 53 N. Then, classification models were created by applying the partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) method. The best results were achieved by combining the following pre-processing algorithms: 1st derivative + mean center, reaching 70.83% of correctly classified (CC) samples and 67.14% for cross validation (CV) and prediction, respectively. In general, it can be concluded that HSI technology combined with chemometrics has the potential to differentiate and classify meat samples according to their textural characteristics.

Beef Loin, Strip Loins (IMPS #180; n = 20) with marbling scores between Modest⁰⁰ and Modest³⁰ at the 12th and 13th rib interface of the M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LL) were collected. Each strip loin was fabricated into 6 samples taken perpendicular to the long axis of the LL from the 13th thoracic vertebra to the fifth lumbar vertebra with the cut made on the anterior side of the respective vertebra. A Computer Vision System Cold Camera measured the LL cross-section of each sample location for USDA marbling score, marbling distribution, average marbling fleck size, LL area, LL length (distance medial to lateral), and LL width (distance dorsal to ventral). In the present study, mean LL marbling score decreased (P < 0.05) from the second lumbar vertebrae location to the fifth lumbar vertebrae location. Marbling size and marbling distance were the smallest (P < 0.05) in samples from the 13th thoracic vertebrae location. The LL area and width was largest (P < 0.05) for the samples from the most anterior location and thus decreased (P < 0.05) as the samples became more posterior. Samples from the most posterior end of the strip loin were the longest (P < 0.05) in length. It was observed that marbling score, distribution, and size, as well as, LL area, length, and width vary from anterior to posterior in the strip loin which can have potential marketing implications for food service distributors and retailers. Copyright © 2018. American Meat Science Association .

Identifying nonallergenic, natural water binders to increase beef patty juiciness and extend shelf life would be beneficial to the beef industry. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of integrating water binders into beef hamburger patties on cooking yield, shelf life, and pH. Five water binder treatments were added at 2% of the meat block. Treatments included potato extract, citrus fiber, dried refried beans, potato peel, or no binder (control). Six batches of each treatment were made and two patties from each batch were analyzed for each parameter. Fluid yield and lipid oxidation were measured on cooked, frozen (210 d), and reheated patties. Raw patties were used to evaluate color, fluid loss, and lipid oxidation over 4 d of retail display. Patties containing citrus fiber improved reheat yield (P = 0.03) and overall yield (P < 0.01). Citrus patties had the lowest pH (P < 0.01) at 5.45. On days 0 and 4 of retail display, patties containing a water binder treatment had less lipid oxidation than the control patties (P < 0.01). Additionally, the cooked, frozen, and reheated patties, had less lipid oxidation when containing a water binder treatment than the control patties (P < 0.01). Citrus fiber improved water retention in reheated patties, and all water binders delayed lipid oxidation in raw, cooked, frozen, and reheated patties. Increasing patty juiciness and delaying lipid oxidation will improve consumers’ eating experience of reheated, precooked patties in settings such as school or hospital cafeterias.