Influence of aging time, temperature and relative humidity on the sensory quality of dry-aged Belgian Blue beef

E Vossen; L Dewulf; G Van Royen; I Van Damme; L De Zutter; I Fraeye; S De Smet

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108659

Influence of aging time, temperature and relative humidity on the sensory quality of dry-aged Belgian Blue beef

Meat Sci. 2022 Jan:183:108659. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108659. Epub 2021 Aug 19.

Authors

E Vossen¹, L Dewulf², G Van Royen³, I Van Damme⁴, L De Zutter⁴, I Fraeye², S De Smet⁵

Affiliations

¹ Laboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
² Research Group for Technology and Quality of Animal Products, Department M(2)S, Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Centre (LFoRCe), KU Leuven Technology Campus Ghent, Gebroeders De Smetstraat 1, 9000 Ghent, Belgium.
³ Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Technology and Food Science Unit, Brusselsesteenweg 370, 9090 Melle, Belgium.
⁴ Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
⁵ Laboratory for Animal Nutrition and Animal Product Quality, Department of Animal Sciences and Aquatic Ecology, Ghent University, Coupure Links 653, 9000 Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: stefaan.desmet@ugent.be.

PMID: 34428606
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108659

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of aging period (0, 3, 6 or 9 weeks), aging temperature (2 versus 6 °C at 75% relative humidity, experiment 1) and relative humidity (70 versus 90% at 2 °C, experiment 2) on the sensory traits, oxidative stability and proteolysis of Belgian Blue beef. For each experiment, eight loins (M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum) from four animals (left and right side) were assigned to one of the two treatments (n = 4). Results showed no further tenderization after three weeks of aging, whereas metmyoglobin formation and lipid oxidation increased until nine weeks of aging (P < 0.05). During the nine weeks of aging, atypical flavor, odor and flavor intensity was affected (P < 0.05). This was accompanied by an increase of small peptides and other nitrogenous compounds. Aging temperature and relative humidity had only a very limited effect on the quality traits.

Keywords: Dry aging; Flavor; Lipid oxidation; Proteolysis; Tenderness.

MeSH terms

Animals
Cattle
Female
Food Handling / methods*
Humans
Humidity
Metmyoglobin / analysis
Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
Odorants
Oxidation-Reduction
Red Meat / analysis*
Shear Strength
Taste
Temperature
Time Factors

Substances

Metmyoglobin