Effects of cooking conditions on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of dry- and wet-aged beef

A non-destructive predictive model for estimating the freshness/spoilage of packaged chicken meat using changes in drip metabolites

This study investigates the possibility of utilizing drip as a non-destructive method for assessing the freshness and spoilage of chicken meat. The quality parameters [pH, volatile base nitrogen (VBN), and total aerobic bacterial counts (TAB)] of chicken meat were evaluated over a 13-day storage period in vacuum packaging at 4 °C. Simultaneously, the metabolites in the chicken meat and its drip were measured by nuclear magnetic resonance. Correlation (Pearson's and Spearman's rank) and pathway analyses were conducted to select the metabolites for model training. Binary logistic regression (model 1 and model 2) and multiple linear regression models (model 3-1 and model 3-2) were trained using selected metabolites, and their performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. As a result, the chicken meat was spoiled after 7 days of storage, exceeding 20 mg/100 g VBN and 5.7 log CFU/g TAB. The correlation analysis identified one organic acid, eight free amino acids, and five nucleic acids as highly correlated with chicken meat and its drip during storage. Pathway analysis revealed tyrosine and purine metabolism as metabolic pathways highly correlated with spoilage. Based on these findings, specific metabolites were selected for model training: ATP, glutamine, hypoxanthine, IMP, tyrosine, and tyramine. To predict the freshness and spoilage of chicken meat, model 1, trained using tyramine, ATP, tyrosine, and IMP from chicken meat, achieved a 99.9 % accuracy and had an ROC value of 0.884 when validated using drip metabolites. This model 1 was improved by training with tyramine and IMP from both chicken meat and its drip (model 2), which increased the ROC value for drip metabolites from 0.884 to 0.997. Finally, selected two metabolites (tyramine and IMP) can predict TAB and VBN quantitatively through models 3-1 and 3-2, respectively. Therefore, the model developed using metabolic changes in drip demonstrated the capability to non-destructively predict the freshness and spoilage of chicken meat at 4 °C. To make generic predictions, it is necessary to expand the model's applicability to various conditions, such as different temperatures, and validate its performance across multiple chicken batches.

Physicochemical Properties and Volatile Organic Compounds of Dairy Beef Round Subjected to Various Cooking Methods

To evaluate the effect of different cooking methods on the physicochemical quality and volatile organic compounds (VOC) of dairy beef round, twelve beef round pieces were divided into four groups: raw, boiling, microwave, and sous-vide. The sous-vide group had a higher pH than the boiling or microwave groups. The boiling group exhibited the highest shear force and CIE L*, followed by the microwave and sous-vide groups (p<0.05). The sous-vide group received higher taste and tenderness scores from panelists (p<0.05) and showed significantly higher levels of aspartic and glutamic acids than the other groups. The sous-vide and microwave groups had the highest oleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acid levels, respectively. The sous-vide group had significantly higher hypoxanthine and inosine levels than the other groups. However, the microwave group had higher inosine monophosphate levels than the other groups. The sous-vide group had a higher alcohol content, including 1-octen-3-ol, than the other groups. Octanal and nonanal were the most abundant aldehydes in all groups. (R)-(-)-14-methyl-8-hexadecyn-1-ol, p-cresol, and 1-tridecyne were used to distinguish the VOC for each group in the multivariate analysis. Sous-vide could be effective in increasing meat tenderness as well as taste-related free amino acid (aspartic acid and glutamic acid) and fatty acid (oleic acid) levels. Furthermore, specific VOC, including 1-octen-3-ol, 2-ethylhexanal ethylene glycol acetal, and 2-octen-1-ol, (E)-, could be potential markers for distinguishing sous-vide from other cooking methods. Further studies are required to understand the mechanisms underlying the predominant association of these VOC with the sous-vide cooking method.

Advanced Red Meat Cooking Technologies and Their Effect on Engineering and Quality Properties: A Review

The aim of this review is to investigate the basic principles of red meat cooking technologies, including traditional and modern methods, and their effects on the physical, thermal, mechanical, sensory, and microbial characteristics of red meat. Cooking methods were categorized into two categories: traditional (cooking in the oven and frying) and modern (ohmic, sous vide, and microwave cooking). When red meat is subjected to high temperatures during food manufacturing, it undergoes changes in its engineering and quality attributes. The quality standards of meat products are associated with several attributes that are determined by food technologists and consumers based on their preferences. Cooking improves the palatability of meat in terms of tenderness, flavor, and juiciness, in addition to eliminating pathogenic microorganisms. The process of meat packaging is one of the important processes that extend the life span of meat and increase its shelf life due to non-exposure to oxygen during cooking and ease of handling without being exposed to microbial contamination. This review highlights the significance of meat cooking mathematical modeling in understanding heat and mass transfer phenomena, reducing costs, and maintaining meat quality. The critical overview considers various production aspects/quality and proposed methods, such as, but not limited to, hurdle technology, for the mass production of meat.

Dynamic alterations in protein, sensory, chemical, and oxidative properties occurring in meat during thermal and non-thermal processing techniques: A comprehensive review

Meat processing represents an inevitable part of meat and meat products preparation for human consumption. Both thermal and non-thermal processing techniques, both commercial and domestic, are able to induce chemical and muscle's proteins modification which can have implication on oxidative and sensory meat characteristics. Consumers' necessity for minimally processed foods has paved a successful way to unprecedented exploration into various novel non-thermal food processing techniques. Processing of meat can have serious implications on its nutritional profile and digestibility of meat proteins in the digestive system. A plethora of food processing techniques can potentially induce alterations in the protein structure, palatability, bioavailability and digestibility via various phenomena predominantly denaturation and Maillard reaction. Apart from these, sensory attributes such as color, crispness, hardness, and total acceptance get adversely affected during various thermal treatments in meat. A major incentive in the adoption of non-thermal food processing is its energy efficiency. Considering this, several non-thermal processing techniques have been developed for evading the effects of conventional thermal treatments on food materials with respect to Maillard reactions, color changes, and off-flavor development. Few significant non-thermal processing techniques, such as microwave heating, comminution, and enzyme addition can positively affect protein digestibility as well as enhance the value of the final product. Furthermore, ultrasound, irradiation, high-pressure processing, and pulsed electric fields are other pivotal non-thermal food processing technologies in meat and meat-related products. The present review examines how different thermal and non-thermal processing techniques, such as sous-vide, microwave, stewing, roasting, boiling, frying, grilling, and steam cooking, affect meat proteins, chemical composition, oxidation, and sensory profile.

Metabolic, proteomic and microbial changes postmortem and during beef aging

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the current knowledge about proteomic and metabolic changes in beef, the microbiological alteration postmortem and during aging, and observe the influence on beef quality parameters, such as tenderness, taste and flavor. This review will also focus on the different aging types (wet- and dry-aging), the aging or postmortem time of beef and their effect on the proteome and metabolome of beef. The Ca2+ homeostasis and adenosine 5'-triphosphate breakdown are the main reactions in the pre-rigor phase. After rigor mortis, the enzymatic degradation of connective tissues and breakdown of energy metabolism dominate molecular changes in beef. Important metabolic processes leading to the formation of saccharides, nucleotides, organic acids (e.g. lactic acid), creatine and fatty acids are considered in this context as possible flavor precursors or formers of beef flavor and taste. Flavor precursors are substrates for lipid oxidation, Strecker degradation and Maillard reaction during cooking or roasting. The findings presented should serve as a basis for a better understanding of beef aging and its molecular effects and are intended to contribute to meeting the challenges of improving beef quality.

Effect of Feeding Alfalfa and Concentrate on Meat Quality and Bioactive Compounds in Korean Native Black Goat Loin during Storage at 4°C

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding alfalfa: Concentrate at different ratios (8:2 or 2:8) to Korean native black goats (KNBG) for 90 days on meat quality and bioactive compound content. Feeding KNBG alfalfa and concentrate at different ratios did not impact meat pH, color, microorganism composition, volatile basic nitrogen levels, or lipid oxidation. The low alfalfa (KLA) group exhibited increased oleic acid and monosaturated fatty acid levels, both of which impact the palatability traits of meat. The abundance of bioactive compounds increased in the loin meat of the KLA group, leading to an increase in antioxidant activities. Our results suggest that feeding alfalfa and concentrate at a 2:8 ratio to KNBG can increase taste-related fatty acids and bioactive compounds in loin meat, relative to that achieved by feeding at an 8:2 ratio. Further investigation is required to evaluate the quality and the metabolites of bioactive compounds in KNBG meat and the effect of the different dietary ratios of forage and concentrate.

Garlic inulin as a fat replacer in vegetable fat incorporated low-fat chicken sausages

Inulin is a non-digestible carbohydrate and a prebiotic that can also act as a fat replacer in various foods. This study examined the effect of replacing vegetable oil with garlic inulin on the quality traits of chicken sausages. Water-based inulin gels were prepared using garlic inulin or commercial inulin to imitate fats in chicken sausages. Chicken sausages were prepared separately replacing vegetable oil with water-based inulin gels to reach final inulin percentages of 1, 2, and 3 (w/w). The control was prepared using 3% (w/w) vegetable oil with no inulin. The physicochemical properties and thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) value of prepared sausages were analyzed over 28-d frozen storage. Sausages with 2% garlic inulin recorded higher flavour and overall acceptability scores (p<0.05). Ash, moisture, and protein contents of the sausages were increased with increasing levels of inulin while fat content was reduced from 13.67% (control) to 4.47%–4.85% (p<0.05) in 3% inulin-incorporated products. Sausages incorporated with 2% inulin had lower lightness (L*) values than the control (p<0.05). Water holding capacity (WHC) was similar (p>0.05) among the samples. During storage L* value, pH, and WHC decreased while redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) values increased in all the samples. In addition, TBARS values were increased during the storage in all samples within the acceptable limits. In conclusion, garlic inulin can be used successfully as a fat substitute in sausages without altering meat quality parameters.

Oxidative Stability of Vacuum-Packed Chicken Wings Marinated with Fruit Juices during Frozen Storage

Antioxidants present in fruits and vegetables have a potential to reduce disease risk, and increase the shelf life of food products by reducing lipid oxidation. The effect of marination with antioxidants-rich fruit juices on quality characteristics of vacuum-packed chicken wings were examined during frozen storage. Chicken wings were mixed separately with marinades containing pineapple juice, June plum juice, and mango juice and kept for 12 h and 24 h. Three best marination conditions were selected based on a sensory evaluation. Antioxidant activity and total phenolic content of fruit juices, and marinade uptake, and marinade loss of marinated chicken wings were determined. In addition, vacuum packed marinated chicken wings were tested for pH, water holding capacity (WHC), 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) value and antioxidant activity over a 4-wk frozen storage. The best sensory properties were reported from chicken wings marinated with pineapple juice for 24 h, mango juice for 24 h, and June plum juice for 12 h (p<0.05) compared to other marinade-time combinations. Mango juice showed the highest antioxidant activity (92.2%) and total phenolic content (38.45 μg/mL; p<0.05) compared to other fruit juices. The pH and WHC of vacuum-packed chicken wings were slightly decreased over the frozen storage (p<0.05). Moreover, chicken wings marinated with mango juice had the lowest TBARS values and the highest 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate free radical scavenging activity. In conclusion, mango juice was selected among tested as the most effective marinade for enhancing the oxidative stability of lipid while maintaining the other meat quality traits of vacuum-packed chicken wings.

Evaluation of the effect of marination in different seasoning recipes on the flavor profile of roasted beef meat via chemical and sensory analysis

Marinating is a Chinese meat-processing technique that involves treating meat products in an aged brine containing traditional Chinese spices and other condiments. In this study, beef meats were marinated in different seasoning recipes, including marinade solution of water as control (BS1), marinade solution consisting of water and 2% salt (BS2), marinade solution consisting of water, 2% salt, and 0.5% sugar (BS3), and marinade solution consisting of water, 2% salt, 0.5% sugar, 0.5% soy sauce, and spices (BS4). The effects of different marinade solutions through the tumbling on the flavor profile of roasted beef meat were comprehensively analyzed via chemical and sensory analysis. A total of 82 volatile flavor compounds were identified. Among them, 36 compounds were identified in BS1, 40 compounds in BS2, 46 compounds in BS3, and 64 compounds in BS4. Besides, 4 compounds showed high odor activity values (OAVs) in marinated samples, including decanal, trans-2-decenal, linalool, and nonanal. The metal oxide sensors of E-nose distinguished the differences among the different marinated samples. Marinated beef samples BS2 and BS3 showed a significant increase in the values of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS). In contrast, marinated beef sample BS4 significantly reduced TBARS value to 4.11 µg MDA/kg beef. It can be concluded that using this different seasoning processing enhances the aroma profile and provides a reference for the production of marinated meat products. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Marinating is a Chinese meat-processing technique that involves treating meat products in an aged brine containing traditional Chinese spices and other condiments. Processing beef meat with different marinade solutions could enhance its aroma profile. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of marination in different marinade solutions through the tumbling on the volatile flavor compounds of roasted beef meat using HS-SPME-GC-MS and E-nose. The obtained results from this study could enrich the theoretical knowledge of the flavor chemistry of marinated beef meat and provide a reference for the production of marinated meat products.