World meat production must increase substantially to support current projections in population growth over the next 30 years. However, maximizing product quality remains a focus for many in the meat industry, as incremental increases in product quality often signal potential increases in segment profitability. Moreover, increases in meat quality also address concerns raised by an ever-growing affluent society demanding greater eating satisfaction. Production strategies and valued endpoints differ worldwide, though this makes the global marketing of meat challenging. Moreover, this variation in production schemes makes it difficult for the scientific community to understand precisely those mechanisms controlling beef quality. For example, some cattle are produced in low input, extensive, forage-based systems. In contrast, some producers raise cattle in more intensive operations where feeding programs are strategically designed to maximal growth rates and achieve significant fat deposition. Yet, others produce cattle that perform between these two extremes. Fresh meat quality, somewhat like the variation observed in production strategies, is perceived differently across the globe. Even so, meat quality is largely predicated on those characteristics visible at the retail counter, namely color and perceived texture and firmness. Once purchased, however, the eating experience is a function of flavor and tenderness. In this review, we attempt to identify a few areas where animal growth may impact postmortem energy metabolism and thereby alter meat quality. Understanding how animals grow and how this affects meat quality development is incumbent to all vested in the meat industry.

We evaluated a combination of two temperatures and two packaging materials for long-term storage of vacuum-packaged (VP) beef striploins. Microbial populations and microbiome composition were monitored during refrigerated storage (120 days between 0–1.5 °C) and refrigerated-then-frozen storage (28 days between 0–1.5 °C then 92 days at −20 °C) under low-O₂ permeability VP and high-O₂ permeability VP with an antimicrobial (VPAM). Pseudomonas (PSE) and Enterobacteriaceae (EB) counts in VPAM samples were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than in VP samples at 28, 45, 90, and 120 days of storage. Microbiome data showed that bacteria of the genera Serratia and Brochothrix were more abundant in VPAM samples at 120 days, while lactic acid bacteria (LAB) dominated in VP samples. Frozen temperatures inhibited microbial growth and maintained a relatively stable microbiome. Refrigerated and frozen VPAM samples showed the greatest difference in the predicted metabolic functions at the end of storage driven by the microbiome composition, dominated by PSE and LAB, respectively. Although no signs of visible meat deterioration were observed in any sample, this study suggests that VP meat refrigerated and then frozen achieved better microbiological indicators at the end of the storage period.

BACKGROUND: The global beef market demands the meat industry to ensure product quality and safety in markets that are often very distant. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of chilled (CH, 120 d) and chilled‐then‐frozen (CHF, 28 d + 92 d) storage conditions of beef vacuum packaged (VP) and vacuum packaged with antimicrobial (VPAM) on meat quality, oxidative status and microbial loads. Treatments resulted from the combination of storage condition and packaging type: VP + CH, VP + CHF, VPAM + CH and VPAM + CHF.RESULTS: Warner–Bratzler shear force values decreased in all treatments after 28 d of chilling. Except for VP + CH, L* values (lightness) of meat color did not differ in each treatment as the storage time increased. Meat from VP + CH had greater a* values than CHF treatments on day 120 of storage. A consumer panel did not detect differences in tenderness, flavor and overall liking between VP and VPAM beef, but they preferred CHF steaks rather than CH beef. TBARS values did not differ between VP and VPAM and between CH and CHF at any time during the storage period. At the end of storage time, all treatments except VP + CHF presented a greater concentration of thiols than at 48 h post‐mortem. On day 120 of storage, VP + CH had greater catalase enzyme activity than CHF treatments while VP + CH and VP + CHF showed a greater superoxide dismutase activity than VPAM + CHF. Storage condition (CH or CHF) had a greater impact on microbial counts than the type of packaging.CONCLUSION: Freezing meat after an ageing period represents a suitable strategy to extend beef storage life without a detrimental impact on its quality. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.

The use of fruit by-products such as citrus pulp represents a feeding ingredient that deserves to be evaluated as an energy source in animal rations. Thirty-six British breed steers were allotted to one of the three feeding treatments (12 steers/treatment): 0%, 15% and 30% of fresh citrus pulp inclusion in the ration in a randomized complete block design to evaluate animal performance and carcass and meat quality traits. In the present study, the inclusion of fresh citrus pulp up to 30% of the diet did not affect the animal average daily gain (p > 0.05) but steers that were fed the pulp consumed less feed (p < 0.05) and presented a lower feed conversion ratio (p < 0.05) than their counterparts without citrus pulp in their diet. No effect of fresh citrus pulp was observed on carcass and meat quality (p > 0.05). A greater lipophilic antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05) in meat was observed when fresh citrus pulp was offered at 15% of the diet. Fresh citrus pulp used up to 30% as a feed ingredient in feedlot rations does not negatively affect animal performance or meat quality but, rather, has a positive effect on dry matter intake and a better feed conversion ratio.

Ninety lambs reared on pastures were slaughtered for 2 y corresponding to 3 ages of slaughter: at weaning with 4 mo of age (4M), at 6–7 mo of age (6M), and at 12 mo of age (12M; last treatments were weaned at 4 mo). With the purpose of deseasonalizing high-quality meat lamb production in the year, the present work aimed to achieve hot carcass weight (HCW) of 18–20 kg on average in each lamb group. Hot carcass weight, carcass yield (CYd), subcutaneous tissue depth, leg, frenched rack, and loin weights were determined. After meat ageing for 7 and 14 d from the 3 groups of lambs, instrumental color, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), consumer sensory analysis (n=200), and fatty acid profile of intramuscular fat (IMF) were determined on longissimus lumborum muscle. Lambs of 12M resulted in greater HCW (P<0.05). The young lambs (4M) presented a greater subcutaneous fat coverage and CYd (P<0.05). Lambs of 12M presented a greater proportion of legs (P<0.05) regarding HCW. Meat color from 4M lambs was lighter (greater L* values) when aged for 7 and 14 d and showed lower WBSF values with 14 d of ageing (P<0.05). A greater proportion of IMF (P<0.05) was observed in 12M and 4M lambs, but the latter presented a greater proportion of conjugated linoleic acid (P<0.05) and polyunsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid ratio (P<0.05). Older lambs (12M) showed a lower n6/n3 fatty acid ratio (P<0.05) and a greater concentration of α-tocopherol (P<0.05). Meat from the 3 groups of lambs was scored positively (i.e., at least between “I like moderately” and “I like slightly”) for overall liking when evaluated by consumers. Although significant differences were observed among the 3 groups of lambs, slaughter age in lambs until 12M seems to have a minor effect on product quality from a practical standpoint.

The study aimed to evaluate the effect of 2 finishing diets (F: pasture or grain) and 4 meat aging methods (AM) on physicochemical traits, microbiological loads, and sensory attributes of beef, with aging methods as follows: wet aging (WA) for 40 d; dry aging in the bag (DAb) for 40 d; dry bag for 20 d + wet 20 d (DW); and wet 20 d + dry bag 20 d (WD). Sixty striploins, consisting of the right and left Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle, from British crossbred steers, were employed, with 15 pairs of striploins obtained from pasture-finished and 15 pairs from grain-finished diet. Meat from grain-finished steers was lighter (greater L* values; P < 0.01) than from those finished on pasture. Meat aged using DAb presented lower cooking loss values (P < 0.01) than WA. Stepwise WD aging increased Psychrotrophic organisms (PSY) and total bacterial count (TBC) (P < 0.05) compared to the other 3 treatments. No AM * F interaction on the physicochemical characteristics (color, pH, cooking losses, and shear force) and the surface microbiological load was observed (P > 0.05) except for a* and b* coordinates of lean color. There was a significant AM * F interaction effect on the fatty acid compo- sition for conjugated linoleic acid (CLA; c9, t11-18:2), saturated fatty acid (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and PUFA n6. Greater concentrations of PUFA, PUFA n6, and CLA (P < 0.01) were observed in all AM treatments from pasture-finished and in WD from grain-finished steers; meanwhile, SFA and MUFA were greater in DW and WD from grain-finished animals (P < 0.05). A greater PUFA:SFA ratio (P < 0.05) and lower n6:n3 ratio (P < 0.01) were found in pasture-finished than in grain-finished steers. Consumers preferred tenderness, flavor, and overall liking from DAb and WA samples (P < 0.05) over WD steaks. AM had the greatest influence on the physicochemical and microbial properties, while the finishing diet primarily affected the fatty acid composition and consumer preferences. All aging methods were acceptable to consumers, but combining wet and dry aging in a bag did not enhance sensory appeal.