Storage Stability of Low-fat Ground Beef Made with Lower Value Cuts of Beef

Five combinations of low-fat ground beef treatments were prepared with lower value raw-materials: 90% lean cow trimmings, 50/50 Choice trimmings, 95% lean Choice trimmings, defatted clods and rounds, cow knuckles, and cow chucks. They were compared to a 20% fat control for quality attributes during 24 wk frozen (?20°C) storage. Control patties had greater (P<0.05) cooking loss, shear force, and connective tissue, and lower (P<0.05) juiciness scores than low-fat treatments. All low-fat pattie treatments were rated higher (P<0.05) in flavor intensity than control patties. Low-fat patties manufactured with a majority of lean cow trimmings had a greater color (pigment) and oxidative (lipid) stability.     

Effect of Electrical Stimulation and Postmortem Boning Time on Sensory and Cookery Properties of Ground Beef

Ground beef was prepared from electrically stimulated and nonstimulated sides of 24 U.S. Utility grade carcasses that were boned 1, 3 or 24 hr postmortem. Postmortem electrical stimulation had no negative effects or, the physical, sensory or cooking properties of ground beef patties. Time of boning had significant effects on percent height change during cooking, total cooking loss, tenderness, and juiciness. As cooning time increased, the effects on the traits were negative.     

Fat Level and Freezing Temperature Affect Sensory, Shear, Cooking and Compositional Properties of Ground Beef Patties

Experiments were conducted to determine effects of two targeted fat levels (6, 20%) and two freezing temperatures (?43, ?20°C) on sensory, shear, cooking and compositional properties of beef patties. Select grade beef rounds (IMPS 161) were used as the lean source for patties with U.S. Choice plates as the fat source. The 20% fat formulation had increased beef flavor and initial tenderness (?20°C frozen patties only) scores, but had higher instrumental shear values compared to the 6% fat patties. Freezing patties (especially those of 6% fat) at ?43°C greatly improved sensory and instrumental tenderness. Faster freezing reduced fat retention of 20% fat patties during cooking. Use of Select grade beef rounds coupled with rapid freezing is suggested for producing acceptable low-fat ground beef patties.     

Physical-Chemical Properties and Cooking Yield of Hamburgers Prepared from Accelerated Processed Beef

The effect of time of processing, pre- vs post-rigor, on quality of hamburgers prepared from electrically stimulated beef was investigated. Within 2 hr postmortem flanks of right sides of 8 electrically stimulated (85 V, 14 Hz, 30 s) and 8 nonstimulated cow carcasses were hot-processed into hamburgers. Flanks of left sides were cold-processed after 20 hr at 1 ± 1°C. Electrical stimulation resulted in significantly higher cooking losses than no stimulation. Hot processed hamburgers from nonstimulated beef had lowest cooking losses whilst hot-processing virtually nullified adverse effects of stimulation on cooking yield. Irrespective of electrical stimulation, shear forces for hot-processed hamburgers were lower than shear forces for cold processed hamburgers. Increased brightness (higher L*-values) observed in hot-processed hamburgers was a result of fat-smearing.     

Cooking and Chemical Properties of Raw and Precooked Flaked and Ground Beef Patties Cooked from the Frozen State

Cooking and chemical properties were investigated on beef patties formulated from UDSA Choice or Cutter-Canner cow beef; processed by either grinding, flaking, or flaking, then grinding; and subjected to final broiling from the precooked or raw state. Quality grade of lean exerted minimal influence on the cooking and chemical properties. Precooked patties had more total cooking losses than nonprecooked patties. For precooked patties made from flaked beef, most of the losses in weight; and configuration occurred during precooking rather than final broiling. The opposite was true for precooked patties made from gro and beef. Thus, in order to maximize yield and minimize configurational changes the method of patty processing should be considered in deciding whether to precook patties prior to freezing.     

EFFECTS OF GRINDING AND MECHANICAL DESINEWING IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BEEF PATTIES USING CONVENTIONALLY CHILLED AND HOT BONED AND RAPIDLY CHILLED MATURE BEEF

Boneless chucks from chilled mature bull and hot boned and chilled USDA Cutter-Canner cow carcasses were processed into patties after fat was adjusted and meat comminuted either by grinding or mechanical desinewing (0.19 cm, 0.25 cm, 0.19-0.25 cm double aperture, 0.25-0.32 cm double aperture heads). In comparison with grinding, use of smaller aperture sizes in desinewing reduced total collagen and increased tenderness ratings only of patties made from chilled cow beef. For mature bull and hot boned cow beef, grinding produced higher palatability values than desinewing. Tenderness ratings and shear values were not closely related to total collagen when desinewing was used on mature bull and hot boned cow beef. Palatability advantages in favor of hot boned over cold boned beef were found primarily when beef was ground rather than desinewed. Levels of moisture in cooked patties were high when single aperture heads were used for hot boned cow beef and intermediate size heads (0.19–0.25 cm) were used for cold boned cow beef.     

ATTRIBUTES OF BEEF SAUSAGE BATTERS, PATTIES AND RESTRUCTURED ROASTS FROM TWO BONING SYSTEMS

Sausage batters, patties, hot-set (HS) and cold-set (CS) roasts were processed from electrically stimulated hot-boned or nonstimulated cold-boned beef (two of the boning systems used in New Zealand) that had been held for 1 month at-18C (ESHBF or NSCBF) or at 0 to 1 C (ESHBC or NSCBC). Also, patties were made from 50:50 mixes of frozen and chilled ESHB or NSCB beef. Meat treatment did not affect the cook yield or shear stress and strain of sausage batters or the bind and extension of HS roast. Cook yield (P<0.001) and compressive strength were higher (P<0.05) for patties made from chilled or a mix of frozen and chilled meat than for those made solely from frozen beef. Cooking increased the bind strength but decreased the extension (P<0.001) ofCS roast. Meat storage temperature had more effect on beef products attributes than the boning systems.     

EFFECTS OF HOT PROCESSING, PATTY FORMATION BEFORE OR AFTER FREEZING-THAWING AND SOY USAGE ON VARIOUS PROPERTIES OF LOW-FAT GROUND BEEF

This study was designed to evaluate the effects of combinations of boning temperature (hot = HP, cold = CP), time when patties were processed (immediately after grinding and before freezing = BF; after freezing and thawing of bulk ground beef = AF), and use of texturized soy concentrate (% usage = 0 or 20% substitution, rehydrated either in a ratio of 2.6:1 or 1.5:1) on sensory, Instron and cooking properties of ground beef patties. With the exception of HP -0% soy patties, both sensory and instrumental measures of tenderness revealed AF patties to be more tender than BF patties. BF patties received higher juiciness scores and cooking yields than AF patties. Soy usage reduced Instron values, juiciness scores, cooking loss, patty shrinkage during cooking and beef flavor intensity scores. These results indicate that the use of HP beef in combination with soy should not detrimentally affect ground beef as used in the school lunch program.     

Effects of Chilling Method on the Sensory, Chemical and Cooking Characteristics of Ground Beef Patties

Hot-boned beef (excised 90 min postmortem) was chilled either by mixing coarse ground beef with CO₂ snow or by immersing ground beef chub packs in a brine chiller (-2°C). Hamburger patties were prepared from both hot and cold-boned chub packed, coarse ground beef after 0, 7, 14, and 21 days of storage (0°C). Microbiological quality of the hot-boned ground beef was either superior or equal to that of the control. Purge present in all the chub packs after 21 days of storage was 1.0%. Patties prepared from CO₂ chilled ground beef were more tender than control patties. Patties prepared from brine-chilled ground beef had greater cooking losses than patties prepared from cold-boned ground beef.     

Hot Processed Raw Materials and Fat Level Affect Physical and Sensory Characteristics of Ground Beef

Sixteen treatment combinations of ground beef were evaluated (two lean types, four fat types, and two fat levels) to determine the characteristics of ground beef produced from hot fat and prerigor lean (HL). Half of each batch was immediately made into patties and the remaining chub pack stored (2°C). Fat type had no (P>0.05) effect on appearance or sensory characteristics of patties; however, all prerigor fat treatments and HL reduced (P<0.05) cooking loss. Fat smearing was greater (P<0.05) in HL patties, but no (P>0.05) difference was detected after chub pack storing (2°C). The HL improved (P<0.05) tenderness in stored ground beef.     

PHYSICAL, CHEMICAL, AND PALATABILITY TRAITS OF RAW AND PRECOOKED GROUND BEEF PATTIES

Boneless beef (U.S. Utility chucks or triangles; U.S. Choice plates) was ground (0.95 cm plate), standardized to 26% fat, reground (0.38 cm plate) and divided into two lots. One lot remained in Plant A and the other lot was shipped via air-freight to Plant B. On the same day and at the same time, meat at both Plants was formed into patties. Half of the patties at Plant A were precooked in a moisture-controlled oven broiler, half of the patties at Plant B were precooked in an open-hearth broiler; the remaining patties at each Plant were not precooked and were frozen in the raw state. Precooked and raw patties at both Plants were frozen (°30°C) in spiral air blast freezers, boxed, air-freighted to College Station, Tex. and Beltsville, Md. and stored at °20°C. Frozen patties were cooked to 63°C (11 mm at 190°C) and palatability was evaluated by an 84-member consumer panel and by an 8-member trained panel. Pre-cooking of ground beef patties: (a) reduces cube space-weight dimensions, thus economies would accrue in packaging-transportmg-distributing such product in comparison to requirements for raw patties; (b) increases total weight loss by approximately 1.8–9.4 percentage points; (c) resulted in increased moisture retention but increased loss of fat during final heating of product; (d) increases incidence of off-flavors by 7–16 percentage points and decreases flavor desirability if performed by use of a moisture-controlled oven broiler; (e) increases tenderness of heated patties; and (f) has no apparent effect on amount of organoleptically detectable connective tissue, flavor intensity or ready-to-serve appearance. It is very doubtful that the advantages in size reduction and tenderness are sufficient to offset the disadvantages in off-flavor incidence, in cooking-freezing-heating losses, in energy required to cool trie product after precooking, and in the necessity to use heat twice (once for precooking, once for heating prior to being served) to prepare the product for ultimate consumption.     

Influence of Hot and Cold Boning on the Palatability, Textural and Economic Traits of Restructured Beef Steaks

Steaks containing 0.01% BHA, 0.75% NaCl and 10% fat were fabricated from hot- and cold-boned sides of four U.S. Standard, seven U.S. Good and one U.S. Choice steer carcasses. Carcasses were electrically stimulated (550 volts, 2.2 amps) ca 37 min postmortem. One side from each carcass was boned 4 hr postmortem (HB) while the other was placed in a 5°C cooler and boned 96 hr postmortem (CB). Hot boned sides required 29% less time to bone and yielded more (P<0.01) restructurable meat, less (P<0.05) lean trim and a heavier boneless loin. Cold-boned steaks had higher (P<0.05) bonding strength than hot boned steaks. No differences were found in juiciness, tenderness, flavor desirability, amount of connective tissue or cooking loss due to boning time. Restructured steaks produced from HB sides had a lower breakeven cost than steaks from the CB side. This was attributed to the higher yield of restructurable meat and more expedient boning.     

Sensory, Shear, and Cooking Properties of Lower-Fat Beef Patties Made with Inner Pea Fiber

Lower fat (10% and 14%) ground beef patties containing inner pea fiber as dry powder or as part of a high fat mixture were compared to all‐beef patties (10%, 14%, and 18% fat). Patties processed with pea fiber had improved tenderness and cooking yields and showed less change in thickness during cooking, but required longer cooking times to reach 71 °C compared to all‐beef controls. Beef flavor intensity of pea fiber patties did not differ from 10% and 14% fat all‐beef patties. Different forms of pea fiber usage produced similar patty properties. Use of inner pea fiber in lower fat beef patties improved tenderness and cooking yield, without negative effects on juiciness and flavor.     

Electrical Stimulation and Hot Boning: Cooking Losses, Sensory Properties, and Microbial Counts of Ground Beef

Six batches of ground beef, approximately 10, 15, or 20% fat, were fabricated from flanks (lean and fat trim) of electrically stimulated-hot boned (ESHB) or conventionally chilled (CC) beef sides. Patties (2.5 × 7.6 × 8.2 cm) from each batch were modified broiled for 35 min at 177°C. Generally, ESHB and CC products were comparable in cooking and sensory properties and in microbial counts of raw products. ESHB products had slightly higher cooking losses, more intense beef flavor, and were slightly juicier than CC products. Small differences between ESHB and CC products more often were attributable to fat content than to processing treatment (ESHB or CC).     

Replacement of Beef Fat with Partially Hydrogenated Plant Oil in Lean Ground Beef Patties

Partially hydrogenated plant oils (corn, cottonseed, palm, peanut and soybean) were substituted (in part) for beef fat in lean (10% fat) ground beef patties to improve nutrient content of ground beef. Effects of such addition on composition and consumer acceptability were evaluated. Addition of hydrogenated plant oils had little effect on composition of raw or cooked patties. Those containing hydrogenated corn or palm oil were not different (P>0.05) from all-beef patties in cooking loss or overall acceptability. Therefore substitution of hydrogenated oils for beef fat in production of lean ground beef patties may be feasible.     

Effects of Metmyoglobin Reducing Activity and Thermal Stability of NADH‐Dependent Reductase and Lactate Dehydrogenase on Premature Browning in Ground Beef

Premature browning is a condition wherein ground beef exhibits a well‐done appearance before reaching the USDA recommended internal cooked meat temperature of 71.1 °C; however, the mechanism is unclear. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the effects of packaging and temperature on metmyoglobin reducing activity (MRA) of cooked ground beef patties and (2) to assess the effects of temperature and pH on thermal stability of NADH‐dependent reductase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and oxymyoglobin (OxyMb) in‐vitro. Beef patties (lean: fat = 85:15) were packaged in high‐oxygen modified atmosphere (HiOX‐MAP) or vacuum (VP) and cooked to either 65 or 71 °C. Internal meat color and MRA of both raw and cooked patties were determined. Purified NADH‐dependent reductase and LDH were used to determine the effects of pH and temperature on enzyme activity. MRA of cooked patties was temperature and packaging dependent (P < 0.05). Vacuum packaged patties cooked to 71 °C had greater (P < 0.05) MRA than HiOX‐MAP counterparts. Thermal stability of OxyMb, NADH‐dependent reductase, and LDH were different and pH‐dependent. LDH was able to generate NADH at 84 °C; whereas NADH‐dependent reductase was least stable to heat. The results suggest that patties have MRA at cooking temperatures, which can influence cooked meat color.     

Effect of Natural Antioxidants,Irradiation, and Cooking on Lipid Oxidation in Refrigerated,Salted Ground Beef Patties

Antioxidant effects of natural antioxidants in 73%‐lean ground beef patties during refrigeration were studied. Samples were subject to an antioxidant treatment (pomegranate extract, grape seed extract, butylated hydroxyanisole, or no treatment) and an irradiation treatment (0 or 1.5 kGy) before being evaluated for both uncooked and cooked indicators of lipid oxidation. Chemical evaluation of antioxidant activity were determined over 9 d through measurement of thiobarbituric reactive substances values. Physical evaluation of antioxidant activity was monitored by changes in physical color and sensory odor analysis on patties before and after cooking. Butylated hydroxyanisole extended the induction period of oxidation in all unirradiated beef patties better than the natural antioxidants. Panelists were able to distinguish a difference (in terms of oxidation attributes) between patty samples of different antioxidant and irradiation treatments while samples were uncooked, but unable to distinguish a difference between patties after cooking.     

EFFECT OF ELECTRICAL STIMULATION ON THE BOVINE CARCASS

Six grain-fed steer carcasses with weights ranging from 163 kg to 232 kg were randomly assigned to low voltage electrical stimulation (45 V., 1.5 A., pulsation cycle of 1.5 s for duration of 150 s) or no stimulation treatments. The longissimus dorsi (LD) and semitendinosus (ST) muscles were studied using high temperature (12 h at 32° to 39°C, then 36h at -2° to 0°C) and low temperature (36 h at -14° to -12°C) periods. Shear force, cooking loss, drip loss and taste panel data were taken. Shear force data indicated that differences (P < 0.05) existed between electrically stimulated and nonstimulated hot boned LD and ST muscle. Statistical differences (P < 0.05) in drip and cooking losses were detected. The duo-trio test indicated that panelists were able to detect a difference between electrically stimulated (ES) and nonstimulated muscle (P < 0.05). Preference tests indicated that panelists were also able to detect a difference between chill and delay chill. Ratings showed that a statistical difference was detected between ES and hot processed muscles.     

Effects of Electrical Stimulation, Boning Time and Cooking Method on Beef Roasts

Sixteen steer carcasses were selected to study effects of electrical stimulation, boning time and cooking methods on palatability traits, cooking loss and chemical composition of beef biceps femoris muscle. Eight carcasses were electrically stimulated and eight carcasses served as controls. The biceps femoris muscle was removed from one side of each carcass within 2 hr of exsanguination and from the remaining side following a 48-hr chill. Muscles were subdivided and cooked in either a convectional electric or a microwave oven. Electrical stimulation resulted in longer (P < 0.01) sarcomeres for cooked product but did not affect palatability traits, cooking loss or chemical content. Hot boning reduced (P < 0.01) cooking loss and tenderness, resulted in less (P < 0.05) total, soluble and insoluble collagen and increased the juiciness score and moisture percentage when compared with 48-hr boning. Microwave cooking produced a greater (P < 0.01) cooking loss and a higher shear force value than convectional electric cooking.     

Preserving pre-rigor meat functionality for beef patty production

Three methods were examined for preserving pre-rigor meat functionality in beef patties. Hot-boned semimembranosus muscles were processed as follows: (1) pre-rigor ground, salted, patties immediately cooked; (2) pre-rigor ground, salted and stored overnight; (3) pre-rigor injected with brine; and (4) post-rigor ground and salted. Raw patties contained 60% lean beef, 19.7% beef fat trim, 1.7% NaCl, 3.6% starch, and 15% water. Pre-rigor processing occurred at 3-3.5h postmortem. Patties made from pre-rigor ground meat had higher pH values; greater protein solubility; firmer, more cohesive, and chewier texture; and substantially lower cooking losses than the other treatments. Addition of salt was sufficient to reduce the rate and extent of glycolysis. Brine injection of intact pre-rigor muscles resulted in some preservation of the functional properties but not as pronounced as with salt addition to pre-rigor ground meat.