Steak Samples Research Articles

U.S. consumer preference and willingness‐to‐pay for domestic corn‐fed beef versus international grass‐fed beef measured through an experimental auction

AbstractExperimental auction procedures were used to measure Chicago and San Francisco consumers' willingness‐to‐pay for beef flavor from domestic, corn‐fed beef versus Argentine, grass‐fed beef. Based on taste panel rankings and bid differentials between paired steak samples, consumers were grouped into one of three beef‐preference categories: corn‐fed beef preferring, grass‐fed beef preferring, and indifferent. A multinomial logit model and regression analysis were used to identify consumers who prefer a particular flavor of beef. On average, consumers were willing to pay a 30.6% premium for corn‐fed beef. Sixty‐two percent of the participants were willing to pay an average premium of $1.61 more per pound for the corn‐fed beef, 23% of the consumers were willing to pay a premium of $1.36 more per pound for the grass‐fed beef, only 15% of the consumers were indifferent. The results have important implications for country‐of‐origin labeling of beef products, as well as niche marketing of corn‐fed and grass‐fed beef. [EconLit citations: L110, L660, Q130]. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of dietary β-carotene supplementation on beef color stability during display of two muscles from Japanese Black steers

Effect of dietary β-carotene supplementation (7500 mg/head/day) for 28 days prior to slaughter on beef color stability during display of M. semimembranosus (SM) and M. longissimus lumborum (LL) from Japanese Black steers was studied. Steak samples from two muscles were over-wrapped with PVC film and displayed under fluorescent lights at 4°C for 12 days. Metmyoglobin percentages of steak samples were determined at days 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12. The β-carotene concentration in both muscles was increased ( P<0.001) by dietary β-carotene supplementation. Color display-life of muscles was calculated by the metmyoglobin threshold method based on a threshold value of 20% metmyoglobin. Color display-lives of SM and LL were extended 1.5 and 3 days by dietary β-carotene supplementation, respectively.

Effect of dietary vitamin E supplementation for one week before slaughter on drip, colour and lipid stability during display in Japanese Black steer beef

Effects of dietary vitamin E supplementation for one week on drip, colour and lipid stability in raw beef steaks were studied. Four Japanese Black steers were fed no supplemental vitamin E and four were supplemented with 5000 mg of dl-α-tocopherol per animal daily for one week before slaughter. Steak samples from psoas major and longissimus thoracis muscles were over-wrapped with PVC film and displayed under fluorescent lights at 4 °C for 10 days. Drip loss percentages, L ∗, a ∗ and b ∗ values, metmyoglobin percentages, and 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values were determined at day 1, 4, 7 and 10. Dietary vitamin E supplementation increased ( p < 0.01) α-tocopherol concentration in the plasma, liver and muscles. Vitamin E supplementation reduced ( p < 0.001) drip loss compared to the control. Vitamin E supplementation maintained ( p < 0.001) redness and retarded ( p < 0.01) metmyoglobin formation in beef steak from day 4 to day 10 of display compared to the control. Vitamin E supplementation delayed ( p < 0.001) lipid oxidation during 10 days of display compared to the control. The data indicated that dietary vitamin E supplementation for one week prior to slaughter improved lipid stability better than drip and colour stability in beef steak during 10 days of display.

Growth of Salmonella typhimurium and Mesophilic Organisms on Beef Steaks as Influenced by Type of Packaging

Two trials, each utilizing 72 samples of fresh beef loin steak, were done to determine the effects of various packing systems upon growth of Salmonella typhimurium. Samples were inoculated with 105 cells/cm2 of the organism and randomly assigned to four packaging treatments: (1) overwrapping in oxygen-permeable film; (2) vacuum packaging; (3) packaging in barrier bags flushed with a 60% CO2: 40% O2 gas atmosphere then evacuated and sealed; and (4) packaging in barrier bags filled with a 60% CO2: 40% O2 gas atmosphere. Twelve steak samples were inoculated with S. typhimurium and 6 were uninoculated and served as a control in each treatment group. Samples were displayed in retail meat cases at 10 C for 3, 6 or 9 days, when they were evaluated for shrinkage and numbers of mesophilic organisms and S. typhimurium. Percent shrinkage was not affected (P>0.05) by packaging treatment. Counts of mesophilic organisms were similar (P>0.05) for vacuum- and gas-treated steaks, which were significantly lower (P<0.05) than counts from film overwrapped samples. Numbers of S. typhimurium increased significantly (P<0.05) during storage on samples wrapped with oxygen permeable film but remained low and fairly constant for vacuum- or gas-treated steaks. After 9 days of display, the film overwrapped steaks had greater (P<0.05) numbers of S. typhimurium than those of other treatments, whereas steaks held within the 60% CO2: 40% O2 gas atmosphere had lowest numbers overall.

TENDERNESS AND RELATED ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS OF BEEF CARCASS AS AFFECTED BY POSTMORTEM CHILLING TEMPERATURE

Sides of beef from 27 carcasses (a total of 54) were selected on the basis of size and age, 40 min post-slaughter, and subjected to one of two treatments. Right sides were chilled at a slower rate (7–8 C ambient temperature), while the left sides were chilled according to standard packing house procedure (1 C ambient temperature) for the first 24 h. The rate of carcass temperature decline and the change in muscle pH was monitored every 4 h for the first 24 h and again at 48 h and 72 h post-mortem. Sides were graded individually for color, texture and marbling. Steak samples were subjected to shear tests, organoleptic testing by a trained panel, standard chemical analysis and a physical measurement of water-binding ability (expressible juice). The pH declined more rapidly in sides chilled at the higher temperature (P &lt; 0.05). Lean color was brightest for carcasses chilled at the higher temperature (P &lt; 0.05), but there were essentially no differences in texture or marbling scores. Steaks from sides chilled at the higher temperatures sheared significantly lower (P &lt;.01), had higher tenderness scores (P &lt;.01), higher flavor scores (P &lt;.01) and had a preferred overall rating by the taste panel (P &lt;.05). There were no significant differences for juiciness scores or for physical measurements of expressible juice. Chemical analyses of samples from both right and left sides were almost identical.

A Simplified and Rapid Method to Uniformly Size Rib Steak Pieces for Taste Panel Evaluation

SUMMARY: Uniformity of size and preparation of steak samples are important prerequisites for accurate taste panel analysis. A system is described to utilize a Broiling and Sectioning Apparatus (BSA) to obtain this uniformity. Frozen beef rib steaks are uniformly sized before broiling and then sectioned into bite‐size pieces for presentation to a taste panel.

Residues in cattle tissues following back-line and spray applications of trichlorfon.

The following concentrations of trichlorfon (Neguvon® or Dipterexl®) were applied to cattle: 3% aqueous spray to 8 head at the rate of 2 quarts each; 8% white oil pour-on to 8 head at the rate of ¾ pint each; 8% water pour-on to 8 head at the rate of ¾ pint each. Four animals served as checks. At intervals of 1, 3, 7, and 14 days posttreatment, 2 animals were slaughtered from each treatment group, and 1 animal was slaughtered from the check group. Ten different samples of tissues or organs were removed from each animal and analyzed for trichlorfon residues. None of the samples of renal fat or liver contained detectable residues, and no residues were detected in any of the samples of organs or the back fat taken 7 and 14 days posttreatment. Small amounts of trichlorfon were found in some of the other samples. No residues of greater than 0.2 ppm were found in the steak samples taken after the 1-day sampling period. The largest residues were found in the samples of omental fat.