Effects of Various Phosphates on the Palatability, Appearance and Storage Traits of Flaked and Formed Restructured Beef Steaks

Seven blends (9.1 kg raw meat) were formulated with 0.75% NaCl and 0.25% or 0.5% sodium tripolyphosphate (STP), sodium hexa-metaphosphate (SHMP) or sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP). Steaks from all blends were “slightly” to “moderately” desirable in flavor and overall satisfaction scores. Steaks made with STP had higher shear force values and work required to shear values than all other restructured steaks indicating an increase in binding occurred with added STP. Restructured steaks formulated with 0.5% STP or SHMP had more desirable raw color scores than the control or steaks made with SAPP. Storage life of all phosphate added restructured steaks was past 90 days frozen storage, and steaks containing STP had thiobarbituric acid values below 1.0 at 120 days storage.     

Effects of Electrical Stimulation and Hot Boning on Color Stability of Aerobic and Vacuum Packaged Restructured Beef Steaks

Color stability of restructured beef steaks processed from beef boned 4 hr postmortem (HB) and 96 hr postmortem (CB) was determined using a Hunter color difference meter and a semi-trained color evaluation panel. Steaks were formulated using ground tenderized (2.5 cm) restructurable meat (75% of formulation), salted preblended meat (3% NaCl + 0.267% BHA, 25% of formulation) and enough ground fat to form steaks of 10% fat. Steaks were aerobically wrapped and vacuum packaged. Hunter L, a, b, a/b values and color panel scores during a 7-day retail display revealed that HB steaks had superior color stability. This was attributed to the ability of NaCl to inhibit glycolysis in the HB preblended meat and to act as a prooxidant of myoglobin in the CB preblended meat.     

Effects of Chloride Salts on Appearance, Palatability, and Storage Traits of Flaked and Formed Beef Bullock Restructured Steaks

Restructured steaks made with 0.5 or 1.0% KCl, 0.5% MgCl₂ and 0.5% CaCl₂ were more desirable and darker red in raw color than blends formulated with 0.5 or 1.0% NaCl. Visual properties of raw steaks containing 0.5 or 1.0% chloride salt were scored higher than the control (no salt added) in 14 of 16 orthogonal contrast mean comparisons. Steaks made with 1.0% CaCl₂ or MgCl₂ were rated lower than the control in flavor desirability and overall satisfaction ratings. Control, 0.5 or 1.0% NaCl or 0.5 and 1.0% KCl steaks were not different in juiciness, tenderness, flavor desirability or overall satisfaction ratings. Steaks made with chloride salts were rancid after 70 days frozen storage. Results showed steaks made with KCl were superior to steaks formulated with CaCl₂ or MgCl₂.     

Composition and Palatability of Country Cured Hams Comparing Hot Boning, Cold Boning and Intact Hams

Eighty-four hot and cold deboned and bone-in hams were dry cured and aged as country-style hams. The boneless hams had high visual mold scores due to increased exposed muscle tissue. Hot deboned hams had the highest total aerobic plate count indicating that 6% of fresh weight as cure mix may not be high enough to hinder microbial growth. The same hams were less desirable in initial and secondary flavor and in salt intensity and desirability than those from other treatments. Warner Bratzler and Instron shear values were generally lower in hot processed, boneless hams. An acceptable hot processed, boneless country-cured ham can be produced with one cure application and with a casing.     

Effects of Flake Size on Textural and Cooking Properties of Restructured Beef and Pork Steaks

Flaked and formed beef and pork steaks were manufactured using eleven different Comitrol cutting heads selected to give a wide range in flake size. Data from texture profile panel, Instron and cooking studies were collected. As flake size increased, visually detected fi-brousness, first bite hardness, cohesiveness of the chewed mass, number of chews required for swallowing, amount of connective tissue detected by sensory panel and shear force all increased, while uniformity of the chewed mass decreased. Textural properties in beef and pork steaks were affected in a similar manner by flake size. Thickness of the flake particle was as important as width of the flake particle in affecting texture.     

Palatability of Chilled and Frozen Beef Steaks

The effects of a split, split plot design, with marbling degree within USDA Choice quality grade as the whole plot, and storage system (chilled with 13 or 20 days postmortem aging or frozen with 7 or 14 days postmortem aging) and blade tenderization (once or twice) as the split plots on palatability and cooking characteristics of beef top loin (TL) and center-cut, top sirloin (TS) steaks were determined. Marbling degree within the Choice quality grade had no effect on sensory or cooking characteristics of either steak. Storing TL steaks frozen rather than chilled adversely affected flavor intensity and cooking losses. Palatability of TS steaks was much lower than for TL steaks. These data will provide the foodservice industry with more specific guidelines for product processing specifications.     

Effect of Chloride Salts and Antioxidants on Sensory and Storage Traits of Restructured Beef Steaks

The effects of antioxidants (0.01 or 0.02% of total fat), salt level (0.375 or 0.750%) and salt type (NaCl, KCl or a 65% NaCl + 35% KCl combination) in a 2 × 2 × 3 factorial arrangement on the quality of restructured beef steaks were determined. Meat blends with 0.02% antioxidant had lower thiobarbituric acid (TBA) values than those with 0.01% after 85 to 155 days of frozen storage. Steaks with no salt (pooled across antioxidant levels) had lower TBA values than steaks with any salt type after 85 days storage or either level of salt after 155 days storage. Steaks with either level of added salt resulted in higher ratings for juiciness, saltiness and overall palatability than steaks with no added salt. Juiciness, flavor desirability, saltiness and overall palatability ratings generally were higher for restructured steaks made with NaCl or NaCl + KCl compared to those made with KCl. KCl at 35% of total salt could serve as a NaCl substitute in restructured beef steaks.     

Restructured Beef Steaks from Hot-Boned and Cold-Boned Carcasses

Restructured steaks were manufactured from paired hot-boned (HB) and conventionally chilled beef (CB) rounds from carcasses that averaged USDA Good, yield grade 2. Salt (0.75%) was added to half of each HB and CB treatment during mixing. Panelists in triangle tests could not distinguish between HB and CB restructured products. Trained sensory panel scores confirmed triangle test results for flavor, texture and acceptability when restructured HB and CB steaks were compared. Panelists in triangle tests detected a difference (P < 0.01) between salted and unsalted restructured steaks. Trained panelists rated salted samples higher (P < 0.05) for flavor, texture, acceptability and cooking loss, but lower for discoloration.     

Effects of Hot-Boning and Particle Thickness on Restructured Beef Steaks

Restructured steaks were made using hot-boned or aged beef made from sliced particles (2.5 mm or 5.0 mm thick). Beef slices were formed to make restructured steaks. The steaks were evaluated for cooking characteristics, textural properties and sensory attributes. Restructured steaks made from hot-boned beef were generally considered less tender and received lower texture desirability, flavor desirability and overall palatability ratings as compared to steaks made from aged beef. Restructured steaks made from larger meat slices (5.0 mm) were less tender and received lower texture desirability ratings than restructured steaks made with thinner slices (2.5 mm).     

Effects of Beef Carcass Electrical Stimulation and Hot Boning on Muscle Display Color of Polyvinylchloride Packaged Steaks

Ninety-six beef sides from 48 carcasses were used to determine the effects of control (C, chilled 48 hr at 5°C), electrical stimulation (ES, 45 min postmortem, 400 volts for 2 min, pulsed), hot boning (HB, 2 hr postmortem), and combination (ESHB) treatments on muscle color of longissimus (LD) and semimembranosus (SM) steaks packaged in polyvinylchloride film. LD from HB was mostly visually darker, had less oxymyoglobin, and more metmyoglobin than other treatments as was the SM, but SM had fewer differences between HB and ESHB. ES and ESHB muscles were visually similar, suggesting ES minimized the darkening effect of HB. Regardless of treatment, muscle color was acceptable at 0, 1, 3 and 5 days of display.     

Effects of Beef Carcass Electrical Stimulation and Hot Boning on Display Color of Unfrozen Vacuum Packaged Steaks

Ninety-six beef sides from 48 carcasses were used to determine effects of control (C, chilled 48 hr at 5°C), electrical stimulation (ES, 45 min postmortem, 400 volts for 2 min, pulsed), and hot boning (HB, 2 hr postmortem), and combination (ESHB) treatments on muscle color of longissimus (LD) and semimembranosus (SM), vacuum packaged steaks. HB muscles frequently were visually brighter purplish-red than other treatments. Compared to ESHB, ES LD was not different, but ES SM was duller purplish-red in color. Reflectance indicators of reduced myoglobin and metmyoglobin were essentially the same across treatments in both muscles. Vacuum packaged fresh beef steaks from all treatments were acceptable in color at 0, 3, 7, and 14 days of display. Vacuum packaging appears suitable for steaks from any of these carcass treatments but is especially useful for steaks from hot boned cuts.     

Effects of Beef Carcass Electrical Stimulation, Hot Boning, and Aging on Unfrozen and Frozen Longissimus dorsi and Semimembranosus Steaks

Ninety-six sides from 48 beef carcasses were used to study the effects of hot boning (HB), electrical stimulation (ES), a combination of electrical stimulation and hot boning (ESHB), and steak storage treatments on longissimus dorsi and semimembranosus steaks. Steak storage treatments were: unfrozen (aged until 6 days postmortem) or frozen (ES, HB, and ESHB frozen 24 hr and controls 48 hr postmortem). ES did not improve taste panel ratings or consistently lower shear force values when compared with control counterparts. Storing carcasses at 5°C for the first 24 hr postmortem and freezing ES steaks at 24 hr versus 48 hr postmortem for the control possibly diluted the effectiveness of ES. However, ES did eliminate any toughening due to HB.     

Functional, Sensory, and Microbiological Properties of Restructured Beef and Emu Steaks

Beef and emu steaks were restructured with 5% fibrinogen/0.25% thrombin (F), 0.5% algin/0.5% calcium lactate (A), or 0.5% phosphate/1.5% salt (P). P and A treatments had higher cooked binding strengths and cook yields than the F treatments (P < 0.05). The pH and cook yields of restructured emu were higher than beef (P < 0.05). Binding strength of emu was lower than beef in all binding systems (P < 0.05). F solution had an aerobic plate count (APC) of 39,000/g and increased the microbial count in restructured emu steaks from 940 to 7500/g (P < 0.05). Cooking to 60°C reduced APC to < 250/g (P < 0.05) with progressively greater bacterial kill after cooking to 66°C or 75°C.     

Effect of Antioxidants on Lipid Stability in Restructured Beef Steaks

Two natural antioxidant formulations–containing mixed tocopherols, ascorbyl palmitate and citric acid–and TBHQ were evaluated in restructured beef steaks formulated to contain 18% fat and 0.75% NaCl. Lipid oxidation was monitored over 12 months of frozen storage. TBHQ significantly (p < 0.05) lowered TBA numbers in raw and freshly cooked samples and in samples that were cooked and held 4 hr at 4°C. Natural antioxidants provided significant (p <0.05) protection in freshly cooked meat and were as effective as TBHQ in retarding lipid oxidation. Sensory evaluation and GC quantitation of hexanal were also used to monitor oxidation but the correlation between the three methods was not significant.     

Microbial Characteristics of Three Formulations of Precooked, Vacuum-packaged Restructured Beef Steaks

Restructured steaks were manufactured with hot or cold boned beef using alginate, alginate + dried egg albumin, or salt/phosphate formulations. Raw steaks were sampled for aerobic (26° and 35°C), and gram-negative enteric counts. Cooked vacuum-packaged steaks were sampled for aerobic, gram-negative enteric, lactobacilli and staphylococci and for the presence of Salmonella, Aeromonas, Yersinia, and Listeria during 7 wk storage (2°C). No differences in counts due to formulation were found for raw or cooked steaks. Higher aerobic counts (P<0.10) were observed for raw steaks manufactured from hot-boned sides than from cold-boned sides. Aerobic counts increased (P<0.01) with storage time. Staphylococcus aureus was the only pathogen isolated from cooked steaks.     

Effect of Hot Boning and Pre-Rigor Pressurization of Beef on Factors of Economic Importance

One randomly selected side from each of ten beef carcasses was hot boned and subjected to hydrostatic pressurization (103.5 MNm^?2) for 2 min; the corresponding control sides were cold boned at 48 hr. Twelve boneless wholesale beef cuts were removed from each side and evaluated for boning yields, purge loss, wholesale cut yields, and trimmed retail cut yields. No significant differences were found in yield of bone, fat, or lean trim between hot- and cold- boned sides, nor was there any difference in purge loss between the 12 control and pre-rigor pressurized (PRP) boneless wholesale cuts (P > 0.05). There was a higher (P < 0.05) yield in total wholesale cuts with the hot-boned PRP-treated sides. Some noticable distortion occurred in three of the five major PRP-treated boneless wholesale cuts processed into steaks, reducing their trimmed retail yield. Overall, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in total trimmed retail yield between conventional (control) and hot-boned PRP sides.     

Extending Beef Bullock Restructured Steaks with Soy Protein, Wheat Gluten or Mechanically Separated Beef

Nine blends were formulated from young bullocks to contain 0, 10 or 20% mechanically separated beef (MSB), textured soy protein (TSP) or vital wheat gluten (VWG), (Control = no extender). All blends were analyzed for chemical, sensory and visual properties. Control and extended, restructured steaks were not different in juiciness, tenderness or cohesiveness scores or for calcium content. Blends extended with TSP or VWG had a high incidence of off-flavor and all extended, restructured steaks had less desirable visual properties than control blends. Storage life was not affected by type or level of extender. Restructured steaks extended with MSB were not equal to the control, but were superior to TSP or VWG extended steaks.     

Quality Characteristics of Restructured Beef Steaks Manufactured by Various Techniques

Beef (9–11% fat) was restructured with each of six mechanical treatments including chunking, fiberizing, slicing, chunking + slicing, slicing + water, and tenderizing each in combination with addition of 0.5% sodium chloride (salt)/0.5% phosphate, 0.5% Na-alginate/0.5% Ca-lactate, 0.5% Na-pectate/0.5% Ca-lactate, or no additives (control). Beef steaks restructured with salt/phosphate had lower (P<0.05) purge losses: higher binding force and bind scores than control products. Steaks restructured with Na-alginate/Ca-lactate had lower cooking losses and higher bind scores than controls. Use of Na-pectate/Ca-lactate did not improve (P>0.05) purge loss, cooking loss, binding force or sensory properties. Chunked meat or mixtures of chunked and sliced meats in combination with salt/phosphate or Na-alginateica-lactate resulted in steaks with acceptable bind and textural properties.     

Effects of Mechanically Separated Beef with Various Chloride Salts in Restructured Beef Steaks

The effects of various chloride salts (NaCl, MgCl₂, KCl or 65% NaCl + 35% KCl) in combination with mechanically separated beef (MSB at 0, 10 or 20%) on the quality of restructured steaks formulated from bullock chucks were determined. As level of MSB increased, objectionable connective tissue, flavor desirability and overall palatability decreased and off-flavors increased. The development of oxidative rancidity during frozen storage was not affected by MSB level and MSB had little effect on textural traits. NaCl and NaCl + KCl treated steaks received superior flavor and overall palatability ratings over steaks containing MgCl₂ or KCl. Oxidative rancidity developed faster in steaks containing NaCl than the other salt types. Partial replacement (35%) of NaCl with KCl resulted in restructured steaks with sensory properties equal to and storage life superior to steaks with NaCl alone.     

Effect of Institutional Heating Methods of Cold and Hot Boned Restructured Beef Roasts

Hot- and cold-boned (HB and CB, respectively) restructured beef roasts were cooked in either: a conduction oven, convection steamer, low temperature cook/hold over or low temperature controlled humidity cook/hold oven. CB roast cooked in the conduction oven had higher cooking yields and lower shear values than CB roasts prepared by convection and low temperature controlled humidity cook/hold oven. HB roasts, cooked in the conduction oven, also had slightly higher cooking yields than other methods. No differences for shear values were apparent for HB roasts cooked in the various ovens. A sensory panel indicated CB and HB roasts had a browned beefy flavor, were juicy and moderately blended with little aftertaste. Restructured roasts are satisfactory for food service/institutional use but differences in yield and tenderness due to cooking method should be recognized.