Influence of ageing on longissimus lumborum quality from Holstein-Friesian young bulls fed different diets

Beef from Calves Finished with a Diet Based on Concentrate Rich in Agro-Industrial By-Products: Acceptability and Quality Label Preferences in Spanish Meat Consumers

Conjoint analysis was used to estimate the relative importance of some of the main extrinsic attributes and quality labels of beef in three Spanish cities (Córdoba, Marbella, and Santa Pola) in a study performed with 300 individuals. Consumers were segmented according to their frequency of consumption. Willingness to pay for different meats was also calculated from the conjoint analysis results. Consumer liking of beef that had been finished with an alternative concentrate rich in agro-industrial by-products and aged for three different durations as compared to conventionally finished beef was also evaluated using the same consumers. The most important attribute for Spanish consumers was the price (28%), followed by origin (25%), animal welfare certification (19%), protected geographical indication (14%), and organic agriculture certification (14%). Most consumers preferred beef from Spain at the lowest possible price and with the highest number of quality labels. Consumers were willing to pay a premium of 1.49, 3.61, and 5.53 EUR over 14 EUR/kg for organic certification, protected geographical indication, and animal welfare certification, respectively. Sensory analysis revealed that, for regular consumers, beef finished with an alternative concentrate rich in agro-industrial by-products offered several hedonic advantages (color, flavor, and tenderness) when compared to beef finished using a conventional diet, while occasional consumers did not find any difference between the two kinds of meat.

Improving the quality of sous-vide beef from Holstein-Friesian bulls by different marinades

The aim of the study was to determine effects of four commercial marinades on the colour, tenderness, cooking loss and sensory characteristics of semimembranosus beef muscles before and after sous-vide (SV) treatment. Muscles (n = 24) were marinated using Odessa (O; red pepper, garlic, onion), Mexico (M; red pepper, tomato), Old Polish (OP; pepper, garlic), and Bordeaux (B; pepper, red pepper, garlic) marinades for 24 h at 4 °C. Marinades uptake ranged from 3.3% (M) to 4.4% (B). Marinating and SV significantly affected all colour parameters. In SV beef, the highest values of L* were noted in OP and O samples, whereas the highest a* and b* values in M samples. Overall, marinating reduced (P < 0.05) cooking loss (34.6%) and shear force (19.5%). The use of marinating prior to SV treatment beneficially affected taste, tenderness and juiciness of beef. OP marinade allowed to obtain beef steaks with the best sensory quality and the lowest shear force.