Sensorial, color, lipid oxidation, and visual acceptability of dry-aged beef from young bulls with different fat thickness.

Abstract

The reduction in slaughter age with minimum fat and dry aging process improves meat tenderness, however, its shelf-life in display has not been studied. It was evaluated the sensorial, and the color, lipid oxidation, and visual acceptance in display of dry-aged beef (0, 14, and 28days) from young bulls slaughtered with different subcutaneous fat thickness (2.00, 3.00, and 4.00mm). Meat with 2.00 and 3.00mm fat had higher acceptability than 4.00mm (p<.05). Dry aging improved overall acceptability of consumers. Meat with 2.00 and 3.00mm fat presented higher lightness and lipid oxidation values than 4.00mm (p<.05) but similar visual acceptance was observed. Dry-aged beef (14 and 28days) had lower lightness, but higher redness (p<.05) than not dry aged (0days). Display reduced color over time, for all dry-aged treatments (p<.05). Dry aging process increased lipid oxidation but these values were below 2.00mg/kg of malonaldehyde only in the first day of display. Dry aged for 14days had similar visual acceptability to not dry-aged beef until the third day of display (p<.05). Shelf-life of 0, 14, and 28days of dry aged was 5.41, 2.55, and 0.23days. Despite of the increase in lipid oxidation and lightness, the sensorial and display acceptability of meat from young bulls was not prejudiced by the reduction in fat thickness. Beef dry-aged for 14days was visually well accepted and could be displayed for 2.55days without compromising acceptability.