Effect of dry-ageing with Mucor flavus on beef taste and aroma

Abstract

Okinawa Industrial Technology Centre succeeded in isolating the mould strain, Mucor flavus, creating savoury odours during beef ageing. Several companies already produce dry-aged beef products using the isolated mould strain in Okinawa. It will be a new food content as the Okinawan brand for tourists from all over the world. After trimming, each amino acid in the meat surface was analysed by LCMS and aroma volatile compounds from the headspace were analysed by solid-phase micro extraction followed by GCMS to reveal the effect of dry-ageing with M. flavus on beef taste and aroma. Each amino acid in the surface of dry-ageing beef with the mould increased. It was hypothesised that there is a gradient of moisture content from the surface of the edible part to the inner side of the dryaged beef, where amino acids are easily generated from the protein degradation. Amino acids react with sugars by heating, resulting in a savoury flavour. Besides, the peak number of volatile compounds using GCMS was more detected in dry-aged beef with mould than that in dry-aged beef without mould. There is a high possibility that M. flavus can produce higher polar compounds in beef meat. Several aldehydes detected only in dryaged beef with the mould were related to savoury flavours, such as nutty and boiled meat.