title: Meat quality, microbiological status and consumer preference of beef gluteus medius aged in a dry ageing bag or vacuum.
abstract: This study investigated meat quality and consumer preference after ageing beef gluteus medius in a water vapour-permeable dry-ageing bag or in vacuum for 14 days. Higher ageing and trim losses but lower thawing loss, cooking loss and water content were found in samples aged in dry ageing bags compared to those aged in vacuum. Samples aged in dry ageing bags had higher total bacteria and yeast counts but lower lactic acid bacteria counts than those aged in vacuum, both before and after trimming. Meat aged in dry ageing bag was more tender and juicier and overall preferred by consumers compared with samples aged in vacuum. Female participants outperformed the males in detecting differences in palatability. No differences were found in pH, smell, shear force, colour, Enterobacteriaceae, and mould counts. Thus, by using a dry ageing bag, it is possible to produce dry-aged meat in a more controlled condition without negative effects on sensory or other quality attributes.
authors.affiliation: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala BioCenter, Department of Food Science, Uppsala, Sweden. xin.li@slu.se
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jakub
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Babol
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wallby
authors.forename: Kerstin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lundström
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D015169:Colony Count, Microbial; D003116:Color; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D004755:Enterobacteriaceae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005506:Food Contamination / Q000032:analysis; D005511:Food Handling / Q000379:methods*; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis* / Q000382:microbiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry*; D013649:Taste; D014618:Vacuum; D055815:Young Adult