Linear correlation between pH value of stimulated beef and electrical current intensity

The aim of the present study was to determine mathematical relationships between pH changes in beef 24 h post-slaughter and changes in the intensity of electrical current flowing through bull and heifer carcasses during high-voltage electrical stimulation. The electrical stimulation was applied 40 min postmortem for 120 s. The pH values of m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum were analyzed in the function of electrical current intensity changes and its change during electrical stimulation. Mathematical linear correlations of the y = ax ± b type were demonstrated between pH values at 2, 6, and 24 h postmortem and the initial (I_i) and ultimate (I_u) electrical current intensity values, the difference between them and the initial pH values determined before electrical stimulation. High multiple correlation coefficients (R² = 0.416, α ≤ 0.001) between I_u and pH values 24 h post-slaughter enabled concluding that there is a possibility to predict a pH value of stimulated carcass with high accuracy, and thus also beef quality, based merely on the ultimate electrical current intensity values.     

Physicochemical and technological properties of beef burger as influenced by the addition of pea fibre

This study aimed to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and sensory attributes of beef burgers with the addition of pea fibre as a partial substitute of meat or fat. Three formulations were prepared: control (CON) – similar to the commercial formulation; fibre/less meat (FLM)—5% meat reduction and addition of 1% pea fibre; fibre/less fat (FLF)—7% fat reduction and addition of 1% pea fibre. Non-significant differences were obtained for pH, colour parameters (L* and b*), texture profile, cooking loss and size reduction among formulations. Moreover, sensory analysis with consumers of beef burgers did not indicate differences among the formulations for all the analysed attributes. Therefore, pea fibre is a promising partial replacer for meat and fat in beef burgers due to the preservation of technological parameters and sensory acceptance.     

The assessment of commercial beef and chicken bouillons in terms of heterocyclic aromatic amines and some of their precursors

Herein, the assessment of commercial beef and chicken bouillons in terms of heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) and some of their precursors was evaluated. Creatine and creatinine levels were ranged between 0.57–0.80 and 0.28–0.94 mg g⁻¹, respectively. Glutamic acid was found to be the most abundant amino acid in both bouillons. 2-amino-3,7,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-ƒ]quinoxaline (7,8-DiMeIQx, up to 0.03 ng g⁻¹) was the only quantified analyte in beef bouillons, whereas it (up to 0.08 ng g⁻¹) was determined in addition to 2-amino-3-methylimidazo[4,5-ƒ]quinoxaline (IQx, up to 0.08 ng g⁻¹) in chicken bouillons. Creatine, creatinine and free amino acid composition did not have the capacity to initiate the formation of HAAs. Therefore, bouillons do not pose risk in terms of HAAs. However, it should be noted that multiple factors, such as the substrate amount and production conditions, may affect the results. Glutamic acid content is remarkable in commercial bouillons sold in Turkey.     

Optical scattering in beef steak to predict tenderness using hyperspectral imaging in the VIS-NIR region

The objective of this research is to develop a non-destructive method for predicting cooked beef tenderness using optical scattering of light on fresh beef muscle tissue. A hyperspectral imaging system (λ = 496–1,036 nm) that consists of a CCD camera and an imaging spectrograph, was used to acquire beef steak images. The hyperspectral image consisted of 120 bands with spectral intervals of 4.54 nm. Sixty-one fresh beef steaks, including 44 strip loin and 17 tenderloin cuts, were collected. After imaging, the steaks were cooked and Warner-Bratzler shear (WBS) force values were collected as tenderness references. The optical scattering profiles were derived from the hyperspectral images and fitted to the modified Lorentzian function. Parameters, such as the peak height, full scattering width at half maximum (FWHM), and the slope around the FWHM were determined at each wavelength. Stepwise regression was used to identify 7 key wavelengths and parameters. The parameters were then used to predict the WBS scores. The model was able to predict WBS scores with an R = 0.67. Optical scattering implemented with hyperspectral imaging shows limited success for predicting current status of tenderness in beef steak.     

基于RFID技术的肉牛养殖质量安全可追溯系统研究

消费者和国际贸易对食品质量的要求日益提高,而运用监控、预警、追踪、追溯等技术在食品生产的关键环节上进行的质量监控是有效保障食品质量安全的重要手段。研究采用B/S（浏览器/服务器）模式结构体系,基于RFID技术构建了肉牛养殖可追溯系统。系统通过应用RFID技术,实现了对每头肉牛的养殖信息的自动采集,并针对每头肉牛形成可在Internet网络上进行查询的质量追溯档案。解决了牛肉在肉牛养殖环节（牛肉生产源头）上进行以肉牛个体为单位实施质量监控和实现可追溯的问题。     

应用改进的C-V模型分割牛肉眼肌图像

牛肉眼肌图像的分割是牛肉自动分级的重要步骤。基于水平集的C-V模型采用两个具有不同均值的分块连续区域分割图像,在迭代过程中,为了约束水平集保持为符号距离函数,必须对其进行重新初始化,大大增加了计算量,降低了曲线演化速度。为此,通过加入边缘检测函数和惩罚项因子,提出了改进的C-V水平集模型,并用于牛肉图像分割,同时与模糊C均值聚类、阈值分割法进行了对比。结果表明:采用改进的C-V模型对牛肉图像进行分割,准确提取了眼肌边缘,分割出了脂肪和肌肉区域,准确率高;曲线演化过程中无需对水平集函数符号初始化,加快了曲线演化速度。     

Development of a controlling method for Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. in fresh market beef by using polylysine and modified atmosphere packaging

Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. often contaminate fresh beef. In Japan, an E coli outbreak caused by raw beef made 181 people ill and 5 individuals dead in 2011. Responding to this outbreak, an effective sterilization method for fresh beef is expected to be developed. In this study, ε-polylysine combined with CO₂-packaging method was examined for controlling these pathogens in fresh beef. At an incubation temperature of 4 °C, approximately 4.3 log and 2.4 log reduction in bacterial numbers were observed after 7-day incubation for E. coli O157:H7 and Salmonella, respectively, in ε-polylysine-added beef. When effectiveness of CO₂-packaging combined with ε-polylysine was investigated, CO₂ did not have additional inhibiting effect on bacterial growth compared to only-ε-polylysine-treated samples when incubated at 4 °C. However, effectiveness of CO₂ was observed when incubated at 10 °C where approximately 2.9 log and 4.4 log reduction in E. coli cell numbers were observed in only-ε-polylysine-treated samples and polylysine- and CO₂-treated group, respectively, and approximately 1.7 log and 3.5 log reduction in Salmonella cell numbers were observed in only-ε-polylysine-treated samples and polylysine and CO₂-treated group, respectively. This study confirmed that ε-polylysine or ε-polylysine combined with CO₂ packaging are effective in preventing foodborne diseases caused by raw beef.     

The relationship between numbers of bacteria on surfaces and in deep tissues of mechanically tenderized beef

The objective of the study was to identify factors affecting the fractions of the bacteria naturally present on surfaces of beef cuts that are carried into deep tissues when the meat is mechanical tenderized by piercing with banks of thin blades. The surfaces and ten strips of meat from the deep tissues of beef primal cuts tenderized first and last on each of five days at a retail store meat fabrication facility were sampled for enumeration of total aerobic counts. Each strip was excised from the whole thickness of a cut after surfaces were sterilized. The mean log numbers of total aerobes recovered from the surfaces of cuts tenderized first or last each day were 2.18 and 1.57 log cfu cm⁻², respectively. The mean log numbers recovered per strip from individual cuts tenderized first or last each day ranged from 0.30 to 1.45 and from 0.03 to 1.04 log cfu, respectively. These findings indicate that bacteria from the tenderizing equipment augmented the numbers of aerobes on the surfaces of cuts tenderized first each day, with some of the additional aerobes being carried into deep tissues. Subsequently, pieces of cuts stored in air at 2 °C were tenderized at a laboratory using commercial equipment. Each cut was divided into three pieces with one piece being not treated, one being sprayed with water and one being sprayed with 5% lactic acid. The mean log numbers of total aerobes recovered from the surfaces of not treated pieces of cut stored for 0, 2, 4, 6, 10 or 14 days were 0.6, 0.8, 2.6, 4.2, 8.5 and 8.9 log cfu cm⁻², respectively. No aerobes were recovered from the deep tissues of any of the pieces of cuts tenderized on day 0. Mean log numbers recovered from the deep tissues of not treated tenderized pieces of cuts stored for 2, 4, 6, 10 or 14 days were 0.3, 0.3, 2.2, 7.8 and 8.1 log cfu per strip, respectively. Spraying with 5% lactic acid reduced the mean log numbers of aerobes on pieces of cuts stored for 2, 4, or 6 days by 1, 2 or 2 log units, respectively, but did not reduce the numbers on pieces of cuts stored for 10 or 14 days. Mean log numbers recovered from the deep tissues of tenderized pieces of cuts sprayed with 5% lactic acid were not significantly different (P > 0.05) from the mean log numbers recovered from the corresponding, tenderized not treated pieces of cuts. These findings showed that the fraction of the total aerobes on cut surfaces that are carried into deep tissues during mechanical tenderizing can vary with the stage of growth of the spoilage flora; and that reduction of numbers of aerobes on the surface by treatment with lactic acid before tenderizing does not necessarily reduce the numbers carried into deep tissues during tenderizing.     

Intensive sheep and beef production from pasture — A New Zealand perspective of concerns,opportunities and challenges

This paper details current production trends for sheep and beef cattle production in New Zealand and gives some insight into the opportunities for improvement based on New Zealand research at Massey University. Further it outlines some of the challenges the industries face in the near future. The New Zealand climate favours pasture growth and this is the key to sheep and beef cattle production with over 95% of the diet being grazed pasture or crop. Exports are the focus of the industry with 95% of sheep meat and wool, and 80% of beef exported. There have been considerable gains in production over the last 20 years but there still remains a huge opportunity for further intensification through breeding sheep at an earlier age, increasing the weight of lambs weaned per ewe per year and improving beef production systems. These improvements need to occur within a framework of minimal environmental footprint and produce products that are in demand in the high end international markets.     

An overview of the nutritional value of beef and lamb meat from South America

The southern region of South America, a subtropical and temperate zone, is an important region for the production of beef and lamb meat, which is mainly produced in extensive pasture-based systems. Because of its content in highly valuable nutrients such as iron, zinc, selenium, fatty acids, and vitamins, meat is a unique and necessary food for the human diet in order to secure a long and healthy life, without nutritional deficiencies. Beef and lamb production systems based on temperate or tropical grasslands show interesting and, in some cases, a differential content in minerals, fatty acids and vitamins. This review deals with the distinctive aspects of the nutritional quality of beef and lamb meat produced in this region in terms of nutritional composition and the bioavailability of key nutrients related to its contribution for a healthy diet for all ages.