High consumer acceptance of mutton and the influence of ageing method on eating quality

Melindee Hastie; Minh Ha; Robin Henry Jacob; Graham Hepworth; Damir Dennis Torrico; Robyn Dorothy Warner

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108813

High consumer acceptance of mutton and the influence of ageing method on eating quality

Meat Sci. 2022 Jul:189:108813. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108813. Epub 2022 Apr 4.

Authors

Melindee Hastie¹, Minh Ha², Robin Henry Jacob³, Graham Hepworth⁴, Damir Dennis Torrico⁵, Robyn Dorothy Warner⁶

Affiliations

¹ Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address: hastiem@student.unimelb.edu.au.
² Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address: minh.ha@unimelb.edu.au.
³ Formerly Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, The Government of Western Australia, 3 Baron-Hay Ct, South Perth, WA 6151, Australia.
⁴ Statistical Consulting Centre, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address: hepworth@unimelb.edu.au.
⁵ Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, PO Box 85084, Lincoln University, Lincoln, 7647 Canterbury, New Zealand. Electronic address: Damir.Torrico@lincoln.ac.nz.
⁶ Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia. Electronic address: robyn.warner@unimelb.edu.au.

PMID: 35461105
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2022.108813

Abstract

To compare the eating quality (EQ) of wet (WA) and dry aged (DA) mutton longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and semimembranosus (SM), bone-in leg and loin primals from 81 merino cull ewes were WA or DA for 14, 28, 42 or 56 days. Untrained consumers (n = 540) assessed the excised LTL and SM for EQ (tenderness, juiciness, liking of flavour and overall liking, 0-100), quality grade and respective willingness to pay (WTP). LTL scored higher than SM for EQ, P < 0.001 for all consumer sores. Mean LTL EQ scores were > 70 and mean SM EQ scores >54. Ageing method had no significant effect on LTL or SM EQ (P > 0.05 for all consumer scores). Ageing beyond 14 days improved SM and LTL tenderness. Consumers most often graded LTL and SM quality grades as "better than everyday" and "good everyday" respectively; corresponding WTP was 26.90 $AUD/kg and 18.80 $AUD/kg. Extended ageing periods improved mutton tenderness.

Keywords: Ageing period; Consumer; Cull ewe; Dry aged; Eating quality; Mutton.

MeSH terms

Aging
Animals
Consumer Behavior
Female
Hamstring Muscles*
Red Meat* / analysis
Sheep
Sheep, Domestic
Taste