Ageing as a method to increase bloom depth and improve retail colour in beef graded AUS-MEAT colour 4. (January 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Jose, Cameron; McGilchrist, Peter
• Is Part Of: Meat science. Volume 183(2022)
• Publication Date: 2022-01
• Subjects: Dark cutting -- Retail colour stability -- Quality grade -- MSA; Meat -- Periodicals; Meat industry and trade -- Periodicals; Viande -- Périodiques; Viande -- Industrie -- Périodiques; Meat; Meat industry and trade; Periodicals; 641.36
• DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108665
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0309-1740

Abstract

Abstract: Meat colour is an important attribute for consumer acceptance but there is an interval between colour grading and retail display. This experiment investigates the effect of time post-slaughter (5, 14 and 40 days) on colour and bloom depth (after 1 and 24 h) for beef carcasses graded AUS-MEAT colour 4 (MC 4). Sixteen carcasses were selected at grading, 8 carcasses were graded MC 4 and 8 as compliant colour (AUS-MEAT score 2 or 3). At 5 days post-slaughter, compliant loins had greater overall bloom depth and were more red than MC 4 loins. Bloom depth (24 h) increased with ageing time but reached maximum bloom at 14 days for both treatments. After ageing for 14 and 40 days, the bloom depth of MC 4 loin was no different to the 5 day aged compliant loins after 24 h on display. Colour at grading may not be a reliable measure of retail colour considering the changes post slaughter.