Sensory Consumer and Descriptive Analysis of Steaks from Beef Animals Selected from Tough and Tender Animal Genotypes: Genetic Meat Quality Traits Can Be Detected by Consumers

Incorporation of Sea Spaghetti (Himanthalia elongata) in Low-Salt Beef Patties: Effect on Sensory Profile and Consumer Hedonic and Emotional Response

Seaweed is a naturally rich source of nutrients and exhibits techno-functional properties that are under study for their potential as ingredients in meat products. However, seaweed is associated with a particular flavor profile, and optimization of the sensory profile should be conducted alongside technical performance. This study investigated the feasibility of the application of sea spaghetti (Himanthalia elongata) in the production of low-salt beef patties and recorded the associated sensory profile and consumer hedonic-emotional response. Eight beef patty formulations with varying salt (0-1%) and seaweed (0-5%) contents were subjected to quantitative descriptive analysis via a trained sensory panel (n = 8) and six the formulations were selected for consumer testing (liking, emotional associations, saltiness perception, and purchase intent) by a group of 105 Irish resident consumers. The trained panel results showed that the intensity of seaweed odor, flavor, and visual presence in burgers was negatively related to the intensity of beef odor and flavor and that seaweed addition (5%) significantly increased the saltiness perception of low-salt burgers. Burgers with 1% added seaweed, although perceived by consumers as less salty, could substitute NaCl in low-salt beef patties without deterioration of their liking among regular burger consumers. Consumers associated all seaweed-containing samples, especially those containing 1% of sea spaghetti, with being good, pleasant, satisfied, and warm. The higher inclusion of sea spaghetti (2.5%) led to significantly lower overall liking and reduced purchase intent, while consumers associated this formulation with emotions such as being more adventurous, aggressive, and wild. Consumers who rejected seaweed burgers had the highest level of food neophobia and avoided foods with additives. The results demonstrate that 1% sea spaghetti seaweed can be successfully incorporated into low-salt beef patties, resulting in hedonic and emotional benefits without significantly increasing the salt content.

Molecular mechanisms contributing to the development of beef sensory texture and flavour traits and related biomarkers: Insights from early post-mortem muscle using label-free proteomics

Beef sensory quality comprises a suite of traits, each of which manifests its ultimate phenotype through interaction of muscle physiology with environment, both in vivo and post-mortem. Understanding variability in meat quality remains a persistent challenge, but omics studies to uncover biological connections between natural variability in proteome and phenotype could provide validation for exploratory studies and offer new insights. Multivariate analysis of proteome and meat quality data from Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle samples taken early post-mortem from 34 Limousin-sired bulls was conducted. Using for the first-time label-free shotgun proteomics combined with liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), 85 proteins were found to be related with tenderness, chewiness, stringiness and flavour sensory traits. The putative biomarkers were classified in five interconnected biological pathways; i) muscle contraction, ii) energy metabolism, iii) heat shock proteins, iv) oxidative stress, v) regulation of cellular processes and binding. Among the proteins, PHKA1 and STBD1 correlated with all four traits, as did the GO biological process 'generation of precursor metabolites and energy'. Optimal regression models explained a high level (58-71%) of phenotypic variability with proteomic data for each quality trait. The results of this study propose several regression equations and biomarkers to explain the variability of multiple beef eating quality traits. Thanks to annotation and network analyses, they further suggest protein interactions and mechanisms underpinning the physiological processes regulating these key quality traits. SIGNIFICANCE: The proteomic profiles of animals with divergent quality profiles have been compared in numerous studies; however, a wide range of phenotypic variation is required to better understand the mechanisms underpinning the complex biological pathways correlated with beef quality and protein interactions. We used multivariate regression analyses and bioinformatics to analyse shotgun proteomics data to decipher the molecular signatures involved in beef texture and flavour variations with a focus on multiple quality traits. We developed multiple regression equations to explain beef texture and flavour. Additionally, potential candidate biomarkers correlated with multiple beef quality traits are suggested, which could have utility as indicators of beef overall sensory quality. This study explained the biological process responsible for determining key quality traits such as tenderness, chewiness, stringiness, and flavour in beef, which will provide support for future beef proteomics studies.

Effects of Slaughter Age of Holstein Friesian Bulls on Meat Quality: Chemical Composition, Textural Characteristics, Sensory Attributes and Fatty Acid Profile

This study aimed to investigate the effects of slaughter age (young vs. old), muscle type (Longissimus dorsi (LD), Gluteus medius (GM)) and fat deposits (kidney knob and channel fat, subcutaneous fat, intramuscular fat) on chemical, organoleptic, textural characteristics and fatty acid composition of Holstein Friesian bull meat. For this purpose, the carcasses of 26 Holstein Friesian bulls that had been fattened on the same private farm were assigned to two experimental groups based on their age at slaughter: a young group (YG) (average age: 17.0 ± 1.0 months old) and an old group (OG) (average age: 22.0 ± 1.0 months old). The percentage of crude protein, panel tenderness score, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) content, the PUFA/SFA ratio and the hypocholesterolemic fatty acid (DFA)/hypercholesterolemic fatty acid (OFA) ratio of the bull carcasses decreased significantly with increasing slaughter age. By contrast, the OFA content of the carcasses significantly increased (p < 0.05) with increasing slaughter age. Advanced slaughter age resulted in lower panel tenderness scores. Additionally, the meat of the bulls in the OG was considered to be less healthy because of the less desirable fatty acid composition and nutritional indices, such as the PUFA/SFA and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios, compared to the meat from the bulls in the YG. Furthermore, the intramuscular fat and internal fat contained high percentages of PUFA and SFA and high PUFA/SFA and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios. Interestingly, the percentage of OFA content in the internal and intramuscular fat tissues decreased with increasing slaughter age. In conclusion, this study provided evidence that slaughter age and muscle and fat type are essential sources of variations in the textural characteristics, sensory panel attributes and fatty acid profile of meat from Holstein Friesian bulls.